They may not be able to hear, but they understand. They understand the dangerous world we live in, and they know that in times of trouble, they may not be able to call for help. In an effort to empower them, a battery company visited Ideal School for the Deaf in CF Block before the Pujas and gifted the students torches with built-in sirens to serve as their voice in times of need.

“We are aware of the RG Kar incident and have participated in the protest marches too,” said Animika Saha, 22, in sign language. Deaf-mute students use gestures to describe words when communicating and they described this particular incident with tears of blood rolling down their cheeks and raising their fists in protest.

“Students are allowed to watch TV at lunchtime in school, and they often follow the news. They understand what happened and discuss it,” said teacher Samapti Majumder.

The school’s secretary, Swati Chakraborty, recalled the time when a man tried to molest one of their students in an auto. “The girl tried to complain to her mother sitting next to her, but the lady couldn’t follow. Finally, the girl reacted dramatically, which drew the attention of bystanders, who caught the man and beat him up,” said Chakraborty. “Since our students are deaf-mute, they are more vulnerable to sexual predators, but we try to teach them to stand up for themselves.”

The CF Block school has students aged between four and early twenties and this year, they have received affiliation to teach Class IX. All the 70-odd pupils received siren torches from Eveready, which launched the product recently.

“In India, flashlights are predominantly used by farmers who work in the fields before dawn. But they are equally relevant to working women, whose numbers are growing rapidly, but who still lack adequate safety for returning home late,” said Anirban Banerjee, senior vice-president and head of the strategic business unit for batteries and flashlights division at Eveready Industries India.

The torch is compact and lightweight. “In case of danger, when there isn’t time to reach for a phone and seek help, users can simply pull a chain on the torch, and it will sound an alarm. We live in a country of a billion people, so someone will surely come to help,” Banerjee reasoned.

The torch has a rechargeable battery and the siren produces a sound of 100 decibels. For context, an ambulance siren makes around 120 decibels and a police jeep 140. In an open area, the torch’s siren would be audible from 200 to 300m away.

Actress Ritabhari Chakraborty, who supports the school, was also present at this event. “I’ve been associated with this school since 2009, when I heard they were facing financial difficulties. I’ve been involved ever since and celebrate the Pujas and Christmas with them, bringing clothes and treats,” said Chakraborty, who lives in CE Block. “I’ve watched these students grow up. This siren torch will give them a voice and empower them.”

Teacher Rupa Das explained that the students live as far away as Diamond Harbour and Bandel. “When we have early morning events, they have to leave home as early as 2am, often walking through dark fields. In such situations, these torches will be of great help,” she said.