Be half steel, half wax, IPS probationers told

• Rajnath Singh calls cyber crime a poison yielded by internet, mobile phones
• Home Ministry is preparing effective strategy to curb cyber crimes

Hyderabad: Expressing serious concern over growing cyber crimes, the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the government would soon take measures to strengthen the prevention strategy.

Addressing the passing out parade of 66th batch of IPS probationers at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVP-NPA) on Friday, Singh asked the officers to be ‘half steel half wax’ in the development of their personalities. “You must be harsh and uncompromising where needed, but also be soft and sensitive where necessary,” he said. He told the trainee officers to adorn their foreheads with a sacred mark, not one of ignominy.

He further added the advent of internet and mobile phone has yielded a poison in the form of cyber crime, which has global ramifications. “This is like churning the ocean in the times of yore which produced nectar and poison and with the advent of Internet along with the nectar it has also yielded poison called cyber crime," he opined.

He said the Home Ministry was preparing an effective strategy to curb cyber crime and unlike conventional crimes, cyber crime has global ramifications and magnified the challenges faced by the police.

“This has naturally magnified our challenges. Figures on cyber crime for 2013-14 reveal that it is increasing at the rate of 50 per cent every year, with Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh being among the most-affected States. North-eastern states on the contrary report almost no instances of cyber crime,” he informed.

The Union Minister said it was not necessary for a cyber criminal to reside in your town or country, as this was an act that could be committed from any remote corner of the world and could hit anyone, anywhere, anytime.

In view of increase in the number of cyber crimes and their ever newer dimensions, modernisation of police training and police organisation was highly imperative, he said, adding, “I assure you that our government shall take steps for implementing police reforms and expedite modernisation of police force without delay.”

Expressing concern that there were only 28 lady officer trainees among 128 officers passed out on Friday, the Minister stressed that they must account for more than 50 per cent. Singh said though Dharamveer Commission was set up in 1978 for police reforms, its recommendations were not implemented. He noted that the challenges faced by India's police were different from those faced by the police in other countries in view of myriad diversities. He advised trainee officers to understand the diversities and the socio-economic and cultural environment they have to operate in.

Academy director Aruna Bahuguna said the core mission of the academy was to provide training for the police officers of tomorrow. She said 143 officer trainees had completed 46-week training and this includes 28 women. The 2013 batch has 15 foreign officer trainees - five from Nepal, six from Bhutan and four from Maldives.