Amaravati, 21 October (H.S.): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday called on police personnel to adopt advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, data analytics and drones, to prevent crime and improve investigations, while emphasising humane treatment of victims and effective maintenance of law and order.

Addressing police personnel on Police Commemoration Day at the sixth Andhra Pradesh Special Police Battalion in Mangalagiri, Naidu paid floral tributes to police martyrs at the Amar Jawan Memorial. He said effective law and order was essential for the state's development, attracting investments and ensuring public welfare.

Naidu said the sacrifices of police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty should be remembered as a responsibility rather than merely an expression of sympathy. Describing policing as a noble profession, he said personnel risked their lives to protect the public and often sacrificed time with their families while maintaining security during festivals, VIP visits and other events.

Emphasising technology-led policing, the Chief Minister said CCTV cameras could help identify crimes, while data analysis could reveal facts and strengthen investigations. He urged the Andhra Pradesh Police to emerge as a national leader in technology-driven policing and suggested greater use of drones for surveillance and other purposes.

Naidu stressed that every person approaching a police station should be treated with respect and given a patient hearing. The police uniform should reassure victims, while criminals should fear the law, he said. He directed police personnel to take strict action against rowdies, anti-social elements and those committing offences under the guise of politics.

Warning about the growing threat of cybercrime, Naidu said fraudsters were stealing people's lifetime savings through phone calls, links and messages. He called for stronger efforts to ensure women's safety, curb drug abuse and ganja trafficking, and reduce road accidents. He also congratulated the EAGLE anti-narcotics team for its efforts to tackle drugs.

The Chief Minister said law and order, development, employment and public happiness were interconnected, adding that industrialists would hesitate to invest in areas affected by unrest and insecurity. He also congratulated the Counter Intelligence wing for uncovering conspiracies that posed a threat to national security.

Naidu urged police personnel to maintain physical and mental fitness and manage work-related stress through yoga, meditation and other activities. He said the ultimate objective of policing was to ensure that citizens could sleep peacefully and their property remained protected. He assured the families of police martyrs that the government would support them and work for the welfare of police personnel.

The Chief Minister also visited exhibitions organised by various police units and enquired about forensic equipment used in investigations, disaster relief equipment and modern weapons deployed by units, including OCTOPUS. He suggested expanding the use of drones for surveillance and other purposes and donated to the Police Martyrs' Memorial Fund.

Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21 in memory of 10 police personnel who were killed while repelling an attack by Chinese troops in Ladakh on the same day in 1959.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar