Police direct Navi Mumbai schools to conduct third-party audit of premises

An official on Monday said that the Navi Mumbai police have directed educational institutions to conduct a third-party audit of their premises to ensure the safety and security of students, reported news agency PTI.

Officials of Zone-I of the Navi Mumbai police held a crucial meeting with heads of educational institutions within their jurisdiction on Monday, providing detailed guidelines for the mandated audit.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone-I Pankaj Dahane said principals, headmasters, and management personnel representing 149 educational institutions attended the crucial meeting.

The sole agenda of the session was to address and fortify the safety and security framework for students of the Navi Mumbai schools, he said, reported PTI.

During the meeting, a thorough review was conducted of the existing safety and security protocols implemented by the educational institutions, with a particular focus on measures aimed at preventing sexual abuse of children, the official said, reported PTI.

The school managements were strongly instructed to ensure seamless coordination between their committees and the local police. Furthermore, they were directed to strictly adhere to the safety guidelines issued by the state government.

A key directive issued during the meeting was for the management of Navi Mumbai schools to submit a compliance report of the mandated third-party safety audits to their local police stations.

The official said the educational institutions have been given a strict one-month deadline to complete the third-party audit and submit the compliance report to the local police.

“If they encounter any challenges in conducting this audit through a third party, the police are readily available to provide all necessary assistance and guidance. This can be facilitated in close coordination with the local school management committee, teachers, and representatives of both teaching and non-teaching staff,” he said, reported PTI.

Parents protest at Navi Mumbai school over alleged abuse of 4-year-old student

Meanwhile, hundreds of parents staged a protest outside a prominent Navi Mumbai school on Monday morning, demanding action against the school administration following the alleged sexual abuse of a four-year-old student by a school van driver.

The police have arrested the driver in connection with the incident, which occurred on April 22. A case has been registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Holding placards and shouting slogans, parents gathered outside the Navi Mumbai school premises, demanding the dismissal of the principal. Many protesters wore black ribbons as a mark of protest.

(With inputs from PTI)