Project Muskaan Shows Impact as Student Uses Child Helpline 1098 to Report Abuse
A school student who learned about Child Helpline 1098 during a Project Muskaan session sought help after learning of the alleged abuse of his cousin, leading to the accused’s arrest within an hour.
PASIGHAT- ( By Maksam Tayeng )- A child-safety awareness programme conducted by East Siang Police under Project Muskaan has helped facilitate the reporting of an alleged child sexual abuse case, after a school student used information gained during a police awareness session to seek help through Child Helpline 1098.
According to East Siang Superintendent of Police Pankaj Lamba, the child victim was allegedly lured by a 54-year-old neighbour on the pretext of offering sweets before the alleged offence took place.
The victim’s cousin, who is also a school student, learned about the incident and contacted Child Helpline 1098. He had become aware of the helpline through a Project Muskaan awareness programme conducted by East Siang Police at his school.
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The information was subsequently conveyed by Childline through the Women and Child Development Department, following which a team from the Women Police Station, led by Lady Inspector Amum Panyang, moved into action and apprehended the accused within an hour.
Following an FIR lodged by the victim’s parents, Women Police Station Case No. 24/2026, dated September 9, 2026, was registered under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The accused has been arrested and is currently in judicial custody.
SP Lamba said the case demonstrates how sustained awareness among schoolchildren can translate into timely intervention and protection. According to him, the awareness session helped the victim’s cousin understand where to seek assistance and gave him the confidence to report the alleged abuse.
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Four POCSO cases linked to school outreach
East Siang Police said the latest case is not an isolated outcome of Project Muskaan. Since the initiative began its school outreach programme in November last year, police have registered three other POCSO cases following interactions with students and subsequent follow-up involving children found to be in distress.
The police said the cases highlight the importance of regular engagement with children and creating an environment where they can speak about potentially unsafe situations and seek assistance.
Project Muskaan, according to East Siang Police, is intended to go beyond a conventional awareness campaign. Its approach combines child-safety awareness, trust-building, early identification of distress and timely intervention to create a protective support network around vulnerable children.
The police said school-based outreach will continue, with sessions focusing on recognising safe and unsafe situations, speaking up about concerns and understanding available support mechanisms.
Children can seek assistance through Child Helpline 1098 and the emergency response number 112. Other support mechanisms mentioned by the police include the POCSO e-Box and the Police Control Room at 7085491255.
East Siang Police also appealed to parents, teachers and community members to remain vigilant, listen to children without judgement and seek appropriate assistance whenever a child shows signs of distress.
In keeping with the POCSO Act and to protect the child’s privacy, police have withheld the victim’s identity and all identifying particulars.
