Khaki Fear Gone: How A 'Police Paathshala' Is Transforming Lives Of Children In Bihar's Red-Light Area
At the 'Police Paathshala' in Muzaffarpur, kids from the Chaturbhuj Sthan red-light area now study and play like any other children in the country.
Published : September 11, 2025 at 4:41 PM IST
By Vivek Kumar
Muzaffarpur: There was a time when children living in the Chaturbhuj Sthan red-light area of Bihar's Muzaffarpur city would tremble at the sight of police officers, cry and hide out of fear. Today, the same children are not only happy being taught by the men in khaki, but are also dreaming of serving the society like them.
This surprising change in a community that has long been stigmatised, ostracised and shunned, is the outcome of a collaboration between local social activist Naseema Khatoon and the Muzaffarpur police officials to address issues related to education of these kids.
And soon emerged a 'Police Paathshala' or a makeshift, innovative school run by the police officials. The children, who could not even attend schools owing to various social issues, now study and play like kids in other parts of the country. They imagine a life where they could be the hero in the society, and second to none.
Located in a makeshift tent on an empty plot next to the Kanhauli police outpost under the Town police station, the school started with a handful of kids in 2023, but has since expanded to accommodate over 150 children, who attend the classes every day.
Social activist Naseema, 40, still remembers the day it all began.
"It was Diwali. I was running classes for around 15 children in a room those days. The then Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Avdhesh Dixit had visited the Kanhauli outpost. We went there to celebrate the festival with the police officials for the first time. The kids had taken a few diyas (earthen lamps) with them," Naseema told ETV Bharat.
Impressed by their work and eagerness to learn, ASP Avdhesh thought of providing a bigger, better and safe space so that the children could realise their potential. Naseema was also trying for it for quite some time. A patch of land close to the police outpost was vacant and the ASP made arrangements there.
The very next day of Diwali, the 'Police Paathshala' was inaugurated, attracting more and more kids of the area to its fold as weeks and months passed.
The activist reminisced that the first 15 children had started coming to her place with their mothers while she ran an all-woman sewing and stitching group. She had won several awards for her welfare works and displayed them in a cupboard.
"Those kids would enquire how I got those shiny medals, cups and plaques. They wanted to have them and I would tell them that they needed to study for it. Most of them were either dropouts or had not started going to school. This is how my classes began," Naseema said.
There were apprehensions when she and the children shifted to the new space. The parents worried about how the police personnel would behave with them, while the kids themselves would cry at the sight of the khaki uniform.
Playing games, distributing chocolates, cutting cakes, celebrating birthdays, gifting pens, books and notebooks, along with several other activities helped bridge the divide between the police and the children. ASP Avdhesh would also drop in at times to teach the kids. The fear melted away, and was replaced by a vibrant atmosphere of friendship.
The number of the children started increasing. Naseema got in touch with a government middle school located closeby and got them admitted. Their 'police uncles' were present with them during their admission.
Since the school timings were from 9 AM to 4 PM, a slogan was devised that only those who would attend the classes would be allowed to the Paathshala. It worked because the kids loved to be with their police uncles.
"Many other students of the school also started coming to the Police Paathshala after learning about it. This helped overcome the stigma of our Paathshala kids that they were children of sex-workers. Today, around 35 percent of the children here come from other areas. Now they all attend school and then come to the Paathshala without any pressure from their parents or us," Naseema added.
Incidentally, Chaturbhuj Sthan developed as a red-light area during the Mughal era, and is home to over 3500 sex-workers. It is also famous for women who sing and perform the Mujra dance for their clients. The area is based along a kilometre-long lane and is named after a temple dedicated to Lord Chaturbhuj (the four-armed one) located there.
Senior police officials including the city Superintendent of Police (SP), Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP), Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors posted in and around Muzaffarpur also started taking interest in the initiative and the social venture flourished.
Meanwhile, the kids are enjoying the additional Paathshala they attend after the formal school hours. And a majority of them seem to be charmed by the police uniform. "I love studying here. I also want to become a police officer when I grow up," said Khushi Kumari, a class IX student. She has been a regular at the Paathshala since its inception.
Chanda Kumari, a student of class VI echoed similar sentiments. "My mother always tells me to study to become a good person. I also want to be a police officer when I grow up," she added.
There are a few like Mohammad Tauqir Alam, who have recently started coming to the novel classroom where the walls are adorned with colourful paintings; cupboards full of books are present and smart TV sets are used to throw light on interesting topics and open the vistas of the world far beyond to them.
"I have been coming here in the evenings for the past two months. My school friends told me about this place. I want to study and become a scientist," Alam said.
It is the commitment of the police officers that has made the programme successful. Some of them have been posted there because of their previous experience in teaching.
"I used to teach in schools before joining the police force. I now teach Science and Maths to the children here," an official said.
Another police officer Ravi Shankar Rana added that he taught at the Paathshala after his duty hours were over. "The children's passion for learning motivates me," he said.
Meanwhile, ASP Avdhesh was transferred to Gopalganj district as an SP in September 2024. But he has not abandoned the Paathshala and has made it a point to be in touch with kids and Naseema. His experience of tutoring children while completing college in Rajasthan also came in handy in the initiative.
"Visiting the Paathshala in person is now a bit difficult for me, but I keep in touch with the children with the help of phone and video-conference. Starting the Paathshala on a bigger scale was a challenge due to the society, and vested interests that were against any reform," SP Avdhesh told ETV Bharat.
Remembering the preliminary days, the Gopalganj SP added that it would not have been possible to begin and run the Paathshala without the support of the Muzaffarpur district magistrate, senior SP, and the District Education Officer. Many other government officials have also pitched in to lend a helping hand.
"I hope that the Paathshala continues for at least another 10 years. It will produce a generation of youths who will become changemakers and change the society there. They have the required talent and potential to do so," Avdhesh added.
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