Patna, Aug. 21: The deadline to install CCTV cameras at the exit and entry points of schools following the police directive would be over on Tuesday, but several institutions are yet to comply with the order.

Some schools have ignored the directive. A few have sought more time to install CCTV cameras.

The city police had issued a directive to install CCTV cameras at the exit and entry gates of schools to minimise the possibility of abduction on August 9 after a meeting with the principals of the institutions. Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alok Kumar told The Telegraph that a deadline of two weeks was set for the schools to install CCTV cameras on their premises.

“The deadline would be over on August 23. Once the deadline ends, the police will review the current state of affairs. The further course of action would be decided thereafter,” the senior officer said.

The schools that have not complied with the police order yet insisted that they required more time to install CCTVs. While some institutions claimed that the installation work of CCTV cameras would hamper education, a few were still indecisive on the issue.

The vice-principal of Radiant School, Radhika K. said: “We have decided to install CCTV cameras not only at the front and back gates but also in classrooms and ground. But we could not start the work of CCTV camera installation because we did not want to affect the education of the children. A workforce would be on the campus for installing CCTV cameras and that would disturb teaching in classes. We will install CCTV cameras in a vacation.”

Authorities of DAV, BSEB, said they would take a call on installing CCTV cameras in the school after the principal returned to the town.

“The school principal is out of station and would be back by Monday. We can give accurate information regarding the installation of CCTV cameras after that.”

Some schools are on the verge of complying with the police order, though. The vice-principal of Patna Central School, O.P. Singh, said: “The installation work of CCTV cameras is going on and it would be completed by Monday.”

Krishna Niketan would also complete the process of installing CCTV cameras by Tuesday morning.

The city police insisted on installing CCTV cameras in schools after a brother-sister duo studying at Christ Church Diocesan School were abducted by one Riazul Haque, who needed money for admission to a medical college. Muzaffarpur railway police recovered both of them, but the incident shook up the cops. In a bid to stop reoccurrence of any such incident, the city police issued fresh directive to install CCTV cameras in schools.

Some responsible schools installed CCTV cameras much before the order came from the police. The principal of Don Bosco Academy, Mary Alphonsa said: “We have CCTV cameras at the school gate for over two years and can watch anyone coming in or going out of the school.”

St Karen’s Secondary School does not have CCTV camera at the gate but they have one outside the parlour. They can keep tabs on the visitors using it. A.K. Dutta, a teacher of St Karen’s Secondary School said: “We have a CCTV camera just outside the parlour near the main gate. We can watch visitors coming to the school through it.”

St Joseph’s Convent High School has CCTV cameras on the school premises and at its gate. The camera at the gate is out of order for the past few days but it would be rectified soon, said an official of the school.

DAV, Khagaul, also installed CCTV cameras four years ago.