00:00While bullying is a criminal act, it is also the embryonic stage of even more serious offences.
00:07This was a point stressed by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Central and Southern Divisions of the TTPS, Wayne Meister, on the I-95.5 FM Morning Programme today.
00:20Bullying is the embryo stages of a lot of serious offences. It's a serious offence but it leads to different things.
00:26So let me just give you an example. You hear persons speaking about they are being taxed in school.
00:32Now, they use that word loosely but that in itself is extortion.
00:36Psychological, verbal bullying, it could lead to suicide as we would have seen in recent times.
00:43Whereas violent acts of bullying, he says, can evolve into murder.
00:48As far as bullying goes, perpetrators can be charged for acts of harassment.
00:53We use generally Section 30 of the Offences Against the Prisoners Act.
00:58That is a whole section dedicated to harassment.
01:01So it encompasses all different forms. So physical, verbal, psychological.
01:07ACP Meister gave an update on investigations into the possible link between claims of bullying and the suicide of Princess Town teen, Jayden Lalchan.
01:18I would have met with the investigator. As a matter of fact, I gave him extra persons to assist that particular investigator so that we can expedite this investigation.
01:28So I'm expecting that this investigation will be prepared within a week, a week and a half.
01:36Meanwhile, ACP Meister says before the end of October, the Southern Division plans to roll out an anti-bullying campaign across schools
01:45with the aim of educating students and teachers on the criminal nature of acts of bullying.
01:51He says they are currently seeking permission from the Ministry of Education for access to schools.
01:58Cindy Raghuba Tika Singh, TV6 News.
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