Bengaluru: The new Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) Om Prakash, who assumed office on Saturday, has indicated that his priority is intelligence gathering and strict action against the people who use Facebook, whats app and other types of social media for spreading hatred , outrageous messages and false communally sensitive rumors. He made this his priority in view of the anti-social elements which are trying to create communal tensions especially in the coastal Karnataka.
Om Prakash, spoke exclusively to Newskarnataka’s Bengaluru Bureau Chief, Naveen Ammembala, on a variety of issues engaging the people and political leadership, following his elevation as Karnataka’s top policeman. Here are excerpts from the interview.
What is your vision after taking over as DG&IGP of the state?
My main aim is to keep the law and order situation under control and focus on crime prevention, which is the main motto of the police service as mentioned in the Police Manual. The safety of the citizen is the first priority and improving the existing system is of equal importance. Crime detection along with crime prevention will be mandatory for the police force.
What is your plan for the security of women and children?
The complaints of attacks on women and children in various forms are on the rise and I have taken serious note of it. I won’t tolerate such things and the criminals involved in those cases will be dealt with accordingly. At the same time, we have to focus on preventing such crimes and the police-public information exchange system has to be improved.
What is your plan to strengthen the police system?
In my view, the police at the grass root level reflects the total system. The police stations are the foundation of the police system. The police stations have to be improved while reacting to public. My idea is to improve the ‘police-citizen relationship’ and that has to be developed at the police station level. The behavioral changes among the police staff and a friendly atmosphere should be evolved between the police and the public. If it happens, then everything will be set on the right path. If so, maintaining law and order, crime prevention and other police tasks will go smoothly. I know, it won’t happen overnight, but our endeavor is to get this done in a phased manner.
What about speedy investigations?
In my view, proper investigation into any criminal case is important to help the actual victims. Investigation, prosecution and judiciary are the three major steps in the process. Investigation is done by the police and they have to file a charge-sheet before the court proceedings. If we don’t do investigation properly and file charge -sheets without having proper evidences, there will not be any convictions on the real criminals. So investigation is like our own baby and we have to develop the evidences in any cases and it will help the accused to get convicted. My goal is to achieve more conviction rates in the criminal cases in Karnataka.
What is your view on the rising communal tensions in coastal Karnataka, mainly in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada?
I have already alerted the police to be tough on communal goondas. We have to identify the communal elements and act accordingly. I won’t tolerate any such incidents in any part of the state.
What do you say about the wrongful, hate messages, on social media which will spoil the communal harmony? It seems that the social media is being extensively used for spreading communal and hate messages among the public in coastal Karnataka and other places. What is your view?
It is a big challenge for the police. I have asked my officers to monitor such usages in Facebook, whats app and any other such media. We will book such persons without any hesitation based on their postings or status messages which are likely to spoil communal harmony. I know, to some extent, it will be a challenge to control these social media, whose servers are in USA or other countries. I have taken this issue very seriously and I will arrange a meeting with senior police officers, cyber crime experts, and technical experts to solve this problem. My appeal to the public is that not to believe such false rumors etc.
On the Naxal menace in the state
There is no major naxal threat in the state. However, we should not allow it to grow. Our Anti Naxal force is doing their job decently. We have to monitor them regularly.
