Role of police important in changing society: Home Minister Amit Shah

BENGALURU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the Central Intelligence Training Institute and inaugurated the Indo-Tibetan Border Police’s (ITBP) residential and non-residential complexes at Avathi near Devanahalli in Bengaluru Rural District.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and others were also present at the event.

In his opening remarks, Shah apologised to the gathering for being late by an hour. He said he miscalculated the time needed to reach the place though his ministry officials had briefed him beforehand.

Speaking on the occasion, Shah said two good programmes are happening as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s wishes to strengthen the police forces at the simple function. The training institute is being set up in a hilly area which is conducive for training purposes, he said and thanked the Karnataka government for providing land.

He said the police forces play and important role in an ever-changing society. New research and efforts should be of aid to the police at a time when the nature of crimes is changing. The country is facing numerous challenges as regards hawala, drugs, terrorism and other such activities. He also noted that policing in metro cities will be a major challenge and added that while the government will do what is necessary, the police should also rise to the challenges.

Shah said that if law and order is maintained, everything else will fall in place. For faster investigation of crimes, forensic science laboratories are being set up at different places in various states including Karnataka, he noted.

Shah said that after the Modi government came to power, it has been fully supportive of armed forces protecting the borders and has been focusing on housing and other facilities for the personnel. The ITBP personnel work in the toughest conditions to protect the country’s borders and are worthy of an honour greater than the Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan, he noted.

The Union minister also said that the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has not got due recognition and has not been able to achieve much success. He also stressed on increased cooperation between the police and the BPR&D to check terrorism and narcotics trade.

The Union Minister will also visit Sauharda Cooperative Federation in Bengaluru later on Saturday afternoon.