Police Station in Gaya Transforms into Educational Haven for Students in Maoist-Hit Area | Patna News – Times of India
Gaya: Deep in the remote, Maoist-hit Chhakarbandha area of Gaya district, a silent transformation through education is taking place. It’s not a hallowed educational institute that is spreading the light of education, but the Chhakarbandha police station that is doubling up as a ‘coaching centre’ to guide the students.
Every day, around 11 am, after finishing their regular school classes, students from govt schools, aged between 4 and 15 years, rush to attend classes held in the Chhakarbandha police station premises in Sherghati subdivision of the district. The day at the ‘coaching centre’ begins with a roll call.
Initiated under ‘mission education’ by senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ashish Bharti on February 15, as part of a community policing programme, the initiative started with just 15 students. Today, it has grown to accommodate 425 enrolled students.
Station house officer (SHO) Ajay Bahadur Singh, along with other police personnel, doubles as a teacher while also managing the policing duties. The police team donning the role of educators guide and nurture these young minds daily.
“Currently, 150 students regularly attend the classes. Many of them are children of Maoists imprisoned in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. This effort has to a large extent curtailed the indoctrination of these young minds,” said SHO Singh. He also highlighted that moral education is a key component of the curriculum.
Reflecting on the initiative, SHO Singh said, “When I joined the Chhakarbandha police station on February 14, SSP Bharti expressed a vision of transforming young minds through education to bring positive societal change in this Maoist-affected region. Inspired by this, I began the ‘coaching centre’ the very next day with just 15 students. Initially, the children were apprehensive about interacting with us in uniform. Over time, they became comfortable, and attendance surged to 425.”
Personnel from the CRPF 159 Battalion, including assistant commandant Pradeep Kumar, sub-inspector Munna Kumar, and assistant sub-inspectors Kundan Kumar Rai and Jitendra Kumar Murmu, actively contribute to the providing tutorials in the class. They provide academic and moral guidance, helping the students grow into responsible citizens.
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In the Maoist-hit Chhakarbandha area of Gaya, a police station is transforming into a coaching center under the mission education initiative. Started by SSP Ashish Bharti, it now benefits 425 students, offering both academic and moral guidance. The initiative especially aids children of imprisoned Maoists, helping to counteract potential indoctrination.
Senior Superintendent of Police Ashish Bharti inaugurated a police library at Chhakarbandha police station, aimed at providing study resources for competitive exams to students, including those affected by Maoist activities. The library seeks to motivate students to excel academically. The event also featured distribution of sewing machines, bicycles, and a health camp for villagers.
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