Bhubaneswar, 06 October (H.S.): Odisha DGP Binaytosh Mishra on Tuesday reviewed the state’s law-and-order preparedness, student union elections, women’s safety, cybercrime, crime control and the ‘Nasha Mukt Odisha Abhiyan’ at a high-level meeting with district SPs and range IGs/DIGs.

The meeting was held through video conferencing at the State Police Headquarters and also reviewed security arrangements for the upcoming festive season and other key policing issues.

Reviewing preparations for the student union elections scheduled for October 15, Mishra said students constitute a sensitive community and stressed the need for regular and personal interaction between the police and students.

He directed officers-in-charge of police stations and SDPOs to hold meetings with student leaders and maintain close coordination to ensure peaceful elections. Police were also instructed to prevent the entry of outsiders and anti-social elements into college campuses, maintain surveillance over hostels and messes, and remain in regular contact with students.

The DGP advised that police personnel should not be deployed unnecessarily at educational institutions unless there was a possibility of violence. He also directed officers to keep a watch on student gatherings, feasts and other events during the election period.

To ensure effective coordination, Mishra suggested meetings among district collectors, SPs, sub-collectors and college principals. He particularly stressed heightened vigilance after the declaration of election results, considering the possibility of post-poll violence.

On cybercrime, the DGP directed officers to further strengthen the functioning of cyber police stations and ensure more effective investigation and legal action in cybercrime cases.

Women’s safety was accorded the highest priority during the meeting. Mishra directed police officers to ensure prompt, impartial and effective investigation of sensitive cases. Referring to the recent criminal incident involving a young woman in Bhubaneswar, he instructed officers to maintain strict vigil over women’s safety arrangements across the state and take strong legal action against the accused.

On crime control, the DGP called for stringent action against habitual and organised criminals and stressed regular raids and checks against illegal activities, including effective enforcement of the NDPS Act.

He directed police personnel to further strengthen the ‘Nasha Mukt Odisha Abhiyan’ and take strict action against drug trafficking networks and criminal syndicates. Necessary measures should also be taken under the NDPS Act to destroy illegal cannabis cultivation, he said.

Mishra also reviewed the implementation of the new criminal laws and emphasised the need to strengthen police infrastructure across the state.

Among those who attended the meeting were ADGP Modernisation Soumendra Priyadarshi, ADGP Railway and Coastal Security Arun Bothra, Police Commissioner, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, Dr S. Devadatta Singh, ADGP SAP Rajesh Kumar, ADGP Headquarters Prateek Mohanty, ADGP HRPC Yatindra Koel, IGP STF Himanshu Lal, IGP Intelligence Satyabrata Bhoi, SCRB Director Avinash Kumar, IGP Crime Branch Dr Sarthak Sarangi, IGP Provisioning Niti Shekhar, IGP Training Anup Sahu, DIG STF Dr Kanwar Vishal Singh, DIG HRPC Rajesh Pandit, DIG Crime Branch Madkar Sandeep Sampat and DIG Personnel Jugal Kishore Kumar Banoth.

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda