Hubballi: Policemen have created fear in the neighborhood of Bellary district; however it has worked in all positive ways. About 75% of over 10,000 out-of-school children in the district are back in classrooms, thanks to police personnel.

The number of out-of-school children has come down remarkably in the district in the past six months. The credit has to be equally shared by education, child labour and police departments.

 When the education department noticed a worrying rise in the number of children dropping out of school for a variety of reasons, it launched a massive door-to-door exercise along with child labour officers to win back the kids. The intent was simple: talk parents into sending their children back to school.

But the ground experience was very different, even negative in some instances. Although when police entered the drive most parents agreed to consider their plea.

Thus of the 10,747 children who stopped going to school, 7,561 kids are back in classrooms.