Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said the law and order situation has a direct relationship with the economic growth of the state, while directing the police to curb the rise in crime, especially cybercrime.
Speaking at the Police Flag Day event held at Koramangala Parade, where he presented medals to the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah sent a strong message to the police forces on accountability and enforcement.
“There is a direct relationship between law and order and the state’s economic growth and GDP. If the police department works keeping this in mind, it will make a huge contribution to the economy,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that the incidence of certain crimes in Karnataka, including cyber crimes, remains higher than the national average and called for stringent measures to control them. “In several categories of crimes, including cybercrime, the rate in our state is higher than the national average. They must be firmly controlled and prevented,” he said.
Stressing responsibility at the police station level, Siddaramaiah said he believed crimes could not have occurred without the knowledge of local authorities. He said: “I am firmly convinced that no crime or illegal activity can be committed within the jurisdiction of the police station without the knowledge of the concerned station officer,” stressing the need for vigilance and accountability.
“If police inspectors work efficiently and honestly within their limits, they can prevent many criminal activities,” he added.
Warning against taking action against police personnel who fail to prevent crimes, the Chief Minister instructed Home Minister G Parameshwara to hold judicial inspectors accountable if necessary preventive measures are not taken despite repeated warnings.
At the same time, he acknowledged the performance of the state police in handling criminal cases and improving conviction rates. “Karnataka is ahead in controlling various types of crimes and in improving conviction rates. While I congratulate the police department for this, we must also make a greater effort to control those crimes whose numbers remain high,” he added.
The Prime Minister urged police to make better use of technology to tackle evolving threats. “We must take advantage of technological progress to prevent various types of crimes, including cybercrimes,” he said.
Highlighting the challenging nature of police work, Siddaramaiah said round-the-clock work helped maintain peace and harmony in the society.
“By working with a sense of duty around the clock, without time limits, the police have ensured peace and harmony in the society,” he said.
He reiterated the government’s focus on protecting vulnerable groups. “Women, children, the vulnerable and the helpless are our government’s top priority for protection. The police must make this at the core of their work,” he said.
“No one can take the law into his own hands, no matter how powerful or influential he is,” he said.
The Prime Minister also stressed on the government’s goal of making Karnataka a drug-free state. “Our government’s goal is to make Karnataka a drug-free state. This should also become the goal of the police department,” he said.
