Now, Surat police will take classes in schools and colleges and provide guidelines to female students on the steps they need to take to avoid physical or mental harassment.

Following the gangrape of a minor schoolgirl in the city, the city police chief has now come up with an innovative idea to interact with the students in a bid to develop their confidence.

Police personnel comprising the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Inspectors will now guide the students in this regard.

Surat Police Commissioner Shivanand Jha had recently in a meeting with Inspectors, ACPs and DCPs, asked them to help the school students, especially the girls, in this matter.

Jha said: “We have come across many incidents in which female students are mentally and physically harassed by their classmates or eve-teasers outside their schools or near their houses. The parents have requested us to hide their identity in such cases.”

He added: “We have started this drive to educate the girls in this regard. We have also guided our staff to explain to the students the precautions they should take when they are alone in the streets and if they find themselves in trouble.”

From Monday onwards, the police will contact the schools and interact with the students.