Patna, Jan. 6: In the wake of the recent cases of abduction and murder of school children, the police have decided to educate the children on various ways to stay safe.

The Patna police are planning to distribute pamphlets and notices about the various dos and don'ts for the children to follow, so that they do not get into troubles to the schools before officers can really go to the premises for interaction with the students.”

Police sources told The Telegraph, with the pamphlets being distributed among them, the students will read and know about the points that would be discussed in the upcoming sessions to be held at their respective schools. This would simplify things for them and they will not be confused during the sessions.

The state government has directed all the schools to close down until January 9 on account of the prevailing cold wave.

With a number of incidents of the abduction of children and their murder by teenagers in the recent times, the police are on the back foot. The state police headquarters had sent out a directive earlier this week asking the SPs of the districts to plan out a few sessions across schools and talking to the students and instructing them to take certain steps to avoid getting into a problem.

The Telegraph on December 29, had reported about this initiative being planned by the Patna police.

Police sources said the move is still in the process of being planned. But before the officers go to the schools, the plan is to hand over the pamphlets to the schools first. Then, the school authorities can distribute them among the students. The pamphlets would brief the students on the subjects the police would take up for discussion, the sources said. The school authorities can distribute them either in the classes or the school assembly, whenever it suits them, the pointed out.

The police believe that the distribution of pamphlets would have their advantages.

“Children being children can get confused if suddenly a police officer arrives at the school and starts discussing an issue. They could get perplexed and will not follow what is being told to them. We don’t want this to happen. Our purpose would not be served if the children do not understand what is being told to them. With the pamphlets with them, they would be mentally prepared for the session and would avoid any kind of confusions. The schools would also be asked to brief students regarding the same, the police sources added.

Earlier, Patna senior superintendent of police B.S. Meena told The Telegraph the focus would be on an interactive session as a part of a particular school programme or event, which will be more useful as all the students as well as the parents and teachers will be available.

Police said the second phase of the programme would focus on the colleges with students told about the legal complexities of elopement.

Police sources said the students would be told about staying in touch with their parents always.

It would be basics. They should inform their parents where and with whom they are going, when they would return. Also, if someone other than their parents come to the school to pick them up, what should they and what the school authorities should do. There will be other points too which are being planned out, sources said.

Amarjeet was abducted and killed by his school friends on December 24. January 3 saw the Gaya police arresting two youths for the abduction and murder of five-year-old Golu. The body was recovered a day after the murder by the family.

On January 2, Hajipur police arrested three teenagers for kidnapping and killing four-year-old Neeraj fearing identification. The boy had been kidnapped on December 22 and was murdered just after an hour.