Experts stress need for sustained campaign against crimes
TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: Upset on being rejected and rebuked by a female classmate, a Std IX male student attempted to murder her by giving her poison during a class interval earlier this week.
The girl is in the GMC hospital but is reported to be out of danger, while Mapusa police has booked an offence against the boy and the school in Bardez taluka has also suspended him in this connection.
According to police sources, the incident took place after the boy had tried to befriend the girl and she ignored his advances. Unhappy by his sarcastic comments, the girl rebuked the boy and he gave vent to his anger by poisoning her during interval.
The girl took ill and reported the matter to the school clerk, who in turn, notified the headmistress.
The school headmistress then summoned the girl’s parents and they were informed of the incident.
The girl was first admitted to District Hospital at Mapusa and later shifted to the Goa Medical College Hospital at Bambolim, where her condition is reported to be stable.
Acting on a complaint from the girl’s father, Mapusa Police has registered a case against the 14-year-old boy under Sections 506, 328 and 307 of Indian Penal Code.
The school management is also reported to have suspended the boy in this connection.
Meanwhile, experts in the field of education have emphasized the need for a sustained campaign to prevent such incidents among children.
While Dr Amit Dias, assistant professor at GMC and chairperson of Sangath, an NGO that deals with school-related issues, has felt that one-time awareness programmes in schools will have little impact on tackling such issues, Director of Education Anil Powar has stated that measures must be initiated to prevent students from committing such crimes.
“It is not enough for mere one-time awareness programmes like lectures in schools, but there has to be a sustained campaign to highlight what is acceptable behaviour and what is not,” said Dr Dias.
“There also has to be someone designated in the school to tackle such issues
so that immediate remedial measures can be initiated. Besides, school children should have the confidence to interact with teachers with full confidentiality. There has to be a teacher/councillor easily accessible and trained to deal with such issues,” Dr Dias said.
Powar opined that several factors were involved in crimes being committed by students.
“In a nuclear family, both parents are working in many cases and they do not get much time to pay attention to their children. Secondly, children are influenced by violent programmes on television channels,” said Powar.
“Indirectly, society is also partially responsible for crimes which are being committed by the children. This is the time for everyone to seriously think and take collective action so that students are not tempted to commit crimes,” Powar added.
