Strategy to prevent cyber crime on anvil: Rajnath Singh

Hyderabad:Voicing concern over rising cyber crime, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday said a prevention strategy will be evolved soon.

He asked the home ministry to prepare an effective strategy as cyber crime unlike conventional crimes has global ramifications and magnified the challenges faced by the police.

He was speaking at the passing out parade of 66 Regular Recruits of the Indian Police Service at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy here Friday.

The home minister said 2013-14 statistics show cyber crime is increasing at the rate of 50 percent per year with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh being among the most affected states.

Singh assured that the government will take steps for implementation of police reforms and speeding up the modernization of the police force without delay. He underlined the need for modernization of police training and the police organization in view of the increase in number of crimes and their ever newer dimensions.

He said though Dharamveer Commission was set up in 1978 for police reforms, its recommendations were not implemented.

Singh noted that the challenges faced by India's police are 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.

"The Indian police officials should use their sociological and psychological qualities more than merely force in the maintenance of law and order," he said.

Urging the police personnel to become futuristic in their orientation and approach, the home minister said this will go a long way in preventing any occurrence from germinating and quashing it before it actually materializes.

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.

Advising the trainee officers to inculcate leadership qualities, Singh said: "Your aim should be to adorn you foreheads with a sacred mark, not one of ignominy."

While pointing out that the concept of community policing is in vogue throughout the world, he said the police in India too have taken major steps in this direction.

Community policing implies that policemen become citizens with uniform while citizens don the role of police without uniform.

Academy director Aruna Bahuguna said the core mission of the academy is to provide training for the police officers of tomorrow: one who can not only handle regular law enforcement but also more ambiguous gender, marginalised and communal situations in a sensitive manner.

The 143 officer trainees who completed 46-week training, include 28 women.

The 2013 batch has 15 foreign officer trainees - five from Nepal, six from Bhutan and four from Maldives.