Assam Police honour officers for child protection work under Sishu Mitra programme

Assam Police on January 9 recognised officers across ranks for their role in handling cases involving children, as the Sishu Mitra Awards 2025 were presented at a ceremony in the city.

The awards were presented at the Assam Police Institute in Ulubari, recognising personnel from Inspectors General of Police to Sub-Inspectors who handled cases involving children with care and accountability. Senior police officials said the focus was on ensuring justice for child victims through empathetic investigation and strict adherence to child rights laws.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of Police said the state leadership has set “a clear vision for safeguarding children against all forms of violence”. He added that under the Sishu Mitra Programme, the force has made “sustained efforts to strengthen the capacity of police personnel to deal with cases involving children in a manner that is sensitive and empathetic”.

The awards, now in their third edition, aim to “acknowledge and inspire police officers who continue to demonstrate exceptional dedication in securing justice for children”.

Aligned with this approach, the Sishu Mitra Programme focuses on training and institutional support so that officers across Assam are equipped to deliver speedy justice to children facing abuse, exploitation or other vulnerabilities. The programme is implemented by Assam Police with technical support from UNICEF and UTSAH Child Rights Organisation.

This year’s awardees included Devojyoti Mukherjee (IGP, Border), Barun Purkayastha (SSP, Sonitpur), Nabaneet Mahanta (SSP, Goalpara), Muzaffar Hussain (ASP, Udalguri), Rituraj Doley (ASP, Goalpara), Phulkan Narzary (DSP, Sivasagar), Parmita Sarkar (DSP, Nagaon), Zubin Bora (DSP, Karbi Anglong), Dr Niharika Kashyap Borgohain (DSP, Goalpara), Inspector Charan Mohan Singha Chetia (Charaideo DEF) and several Sub-Inspectors posted across districts including Goalpara, Biswanath, Guwahati, Nagaon, Udalguri, Majuli, Hailakandi, North Lakhimpur and Charaideo.

Special Recognition Awards were also given to officials and experts from allied sectors for strengthening child protection systems. Partha Pratim Mazumdar from the Women and Child Development Department was recognised for facilitating support from the Ministry of Women and Child Development for setting up child-friendly corners in police stations. Forensic expert Dr Raktim Tamuli was acknowledged for assistance in evidence handling, while psychologist Dr Mythili Hazarika was honoured for providing timely counselling support to child victims at the request of the police.

The jury included artist Purnima Pathak Saikia and educationist Dr Rakhi Kalita Moral. Senior police officers and representatives from UNICEF’s Assam and Northeast office were also present at the ceremony.