Arunachal: East Siang Police Launches Project Muskaan
The East Siang Police launches Project Muskaan to promote child safety, awareness, and trust through school outreach, reporting mechanisms, and police training.
PASIGHAT, Nov 12: The East Siang Police has launched ‘Project Muskaan’, a dedicated child safety and awareness initiative designed to protect children from abuse, bullying, and cyber exploitation while strengthening trust between police and students.
The initiative, unveiled by Superintendent of Police Pankaj Lamba, during a press briefing at the SP Office in Pasighat, aims to foster safer learning environments across schools in the district. The event was attended by SDPO Pasighat Dr. Akanksha Milind Tamgadge, IPS, Dy SP Ayup Boko, and Inspector Mrs Amum Panyang among others.
Also Read- BRO’s Dental Camp Brings Relief to Tuting’s Frontier
SP Lamba noted that Project Muskaan reflects the district police’s proactive approach to addressing rising concerns around child safety, both online and offline. “Children are the most valuable and vulnerable members of society. Ensuring their safety requires collective awareness and collaboration among parents, educators, and law enforcement,” he said.
Key Components of Project Muskaan
A. Police Ki Pathshala:
Under this outreach component, police personnel will visit schools as “Police Aunty/Didi” and “Police Uncle/Bhaiya” to conduct interactive awareness sessions. The modules will cover good and bad touch, POCSO Act, cyber safety, and bullying prevention, using storytelling, videos, and open discussions. Each police station will cover five schools weekly, ensuring wide outreach.
B. Reporting and Response Mechanism:
A child-friendly helpline and coordination network with school authorities, CWCs, and the DCPU will facilitate prompt reporting and follow-up on any complaints of abuse or distress.
C. Complaint Boxes in Schools:
To encourage confidential reporting, ‘Police Complaint Boxes’ will be installed in schools and checked weekly by designated officers, ensuring privacy and sensitivity for students.
D. Visit to Ane’s Home (WPS):
Students will visit the Women Police Station’s Ane’s Home—a child-friendly psychosocial space—to understand police roles, learn about child rights, and interact with officers in a non-intimidating environment.
E. Capacity Building for Police Personnel:
Training modules will equip officers with skills in child psychology, empathetic communication, and legal awareness (POCSO, JJ Act), enabling them to handle child-related cases and school engagements more effectively.
Building a Culture of Protection
Officials emphasized that the initiative’s core purpose is to make children feel “protected, respected, and heard.” By combining awareness, institutional support, and trained personnel, Project Muskaan aims to bridge the trust gap between police and young citizens.
Observers have welcomed the initiative as a model for community policing, combining legal literacy, emotional safety, and digital awareness in a single framework. As East Siang becomes the first district in Arunachal Pradesh to roll out such an integrated programme, it sets a precedent for others to follow in strengthening grassroots child protection.
