SAMBALPUR: Odisha Police is strengthening its personnel and technological resources to tackle emerging forms of crime, with cyber fraud and drug trafficking among its key areas of concern, DGP in-charge Vinaytosh Mishra said on Saturday.
Mishra attended the passing-out ceremony of Basic Training Institute (BTI) in Burla, where 1,027 personnel from different battalions formally joined the force. He said the induction of the new personnel would augment the police’s capacity to manage law and order and improve public service delivery, particularly during the forthcoming festive season.
Another batch of around 800 personnel would pass out in Jharsuguda shortly, Mishra said, adding that recruitment and filling up of vacancies in the police department were also being undertaken in phases.
Following the ceremony, the DGP in-charge chaired a review meeting at the Sambalpur DIG’s office to assess the crime and law-and-order situation in the Northern range. He later told mediapersons that the police were according priority to tackling cybercrime and the illegal drug trade.
Mishra said dedicated cyber police stations had been made operational across Odisha, including in Sambalpur, while personnel were being trained to investigate sophisticated forms of online fraud. Urging people to exercise caution while using digital platforms, the DGP advised them against clicking on suspicious links or interacting with unknown online services.
Mishra said that personnel are using the Money Restoration Module to trace and recover funds lost in cyber fraud cases. Around 60-70 per cent of the money involved had been recovered, while efforts in nearly 90 per cent of reported cases had resulted in funds being returned to victims, he added.
Drug trafficking, particularly the movement of ganja, brown sugar and codeine-based cough syrups into western Odisha, was another major concern discussed during the review meeting. Police have identified vulnerable routes and are intensifying enforcement along the routes, Mishra said. He said the police are also working to identify networks and individuals involved in bringing narcotic substances into Odisha from outside the state, with digital investigation methods being used alongside legal action.
