KP Constable sets up 2 schools in Purulia to educate Shabar Tribe

Kolkata: At a time when police are trying to maintain a cordial relationship with people through several community policing initiatives, a Kolkata Police Constable has established two schools for the Shabar Tribe children in Purulia with help from people and a few organisations since 2011.

Arup Kumar Mukherjee, a Constable of Garia traffic guard, had started his journey to educate children of the Shabar Tribe so that they can earn enough to survive. According to Mukherjee, since his childhood, he used to hear that people belonging to the Shabar Tribe are criminals. At a certain age, he felt that lack of education among the Shabar people made them criminals as they did not have the idea and chance to lead a normal life. Mukherjee joined Kolkata Police in 1999 and started gathering money for the help of the Shabar community. In 2010, he managed to save about Rs 2.5 lakh from his salary. Later, he arranged some more money and during 2011, started his school for Shabar children styled as Puncha Nabadisha Model School. Since then, Mukherjee went to the Shabar villages and convinced them to send their children to school.

Mukherjee informed that at present, there are 150 students in the school. In the school, students are taught till class IV and later they are admitted to some state-run schools. The students are provided with food daily along with books and other necessary things. A few years ago, he established another school in Ranibandh area of Bankura as well.

Mukherjee claimed that till date, he has made about 1,000 shabar children literate while 14 shabar children have passed Madhyamik till date. These apart, two women from the Shabar community have done their graduation in History and Hindi (Hons) from a college in Jharkhand. Among the two, one woman even completed her post graduation and at present working in a private company.

“It is my luck that several people and a few organisations have come forward to help me with my goals. At present, the expenses of the food is being covered by my salary while I get regular funds from kind-hearted people for the schools and the children. My family runs on my father’s pension who was also a policeman,” said Mukherjee. The traffic Constable has received many awards for his social work and also supported by many senior police officers who have served in the Kolkata Police from time to time.