Be futuristic: Rajnath to IPS probationers

Hyderabad, October 31: Tackle routine crimes like burglaries, murder and loots, but be futuristic and experimental to check organised crimes committed under the cloak of ideology like left wing extremism, Union Minister for Home Rajnath Singh told IPS probationers on Friday.

Addressing the 66 th batch of IPS officer regular recruit trainees at the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Police Academy in Hyderabad after their colourful passing out parade, Singh said left wing extremism was active in 26 districts of nine States in the country. 'Such outfits and individuals are menace to nation and to check them working methods of police need to be changed,' he said.

It was high time policing in the country changed to face new challenges coming in the form of Cyber Crimes. Advent of Internet and mobile phones brought in cyber crimes having global ramifications. Crime statistics for the 2013-14 suggested that cyber crimes were increasing at the rate of 50 per cent.

While Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh were the most affected States, north-eastern States reported little or no cyber crime. 'A person committing cyber crime can be local but the consequence could be global,' the Union Minister said.

Asking people and police officials to be alert about online offences, Referring to Ramnicu Valcea 'a village in Romania which earned nickname of being Hackerville meaning Hacker Village of the world, the Minister cautioned that even a person from remote part of world can harm online any person at any time.

Hence, the Cyber Crime Prevention Strategy should be strengthened, he said suggesting to the NPA officials to identify changing crime patterns, incorporate them in the syllabi and train the police officials accordingly.

Congratulating 28 woman officer trainees of the 128-strong batch of IPS officer trainees, he said only 21 per cent of the batch being woman was a matter of concern. 'I would like to see this 21 per cent soar to 50 per cent or more in the coming years,' he said.

Expressing happiness over organising the passing out parade of IPS officer trainees on the birthday of independent India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31, Singh suggested to NPA officials to ensure every year it was held the same day. He said the credit for merging 562 princely States with Indian Union should go to Patel as he achieved it with 'minimum violence and maximum willingness'.