Pune: The Pune city police have started providing training to minor boys in handicrafts , arts, small trade and soft skills under a programme titled “Parivartan” in an effort to divert juveniles ’ attention away from crime. "The programme has been implemented in various police stations in Zone IV and Zone II (areas of Camp, Koregaon Park, and Satara Road). It would also be implemented in other police stations," said joint police commissioner Rajan Kumar Sharma.
Now, the boys are busy making wall watches, mattresses, lanterns, and other articles at the police stations. A Solapur-based NGO is helping the youngsters stay away from crimes. "At present, we were providing training to 150 boys in small spaces in the police stations," Sharma told TOI.
"We have already received orders from various Ganapati mandals, State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and other private companies demanding the gifts and articles prepared by the boys," Sharma said. "The boys were honing their skills at the police stations under the guidance of teachers and artists made available by the NGO," he added. "We have taken feedback from the parents of these juveniles.
The parents informed us that their wards were doing well after visiting police stations for a few hours. Due to this, the juveniles were staying away from the criminal elements," he said. According to the city police, they had registered criminal cases against 507 and 392 minors in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
"The majority of these boys were .