Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot addressed a gathering of police officers and personnel at the Raj Bhavan.
Credit: X/@siddaramaiah
Bengaluru: Karnataka governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Saturday said that the Karnataka police was the leading police force in the country.
He addressed a gathering of police officers and personnel at the Raj Bhavan, where a ceremony was held to present the President’s Distinguished Service Medal, President’s Commendable Service Medal and the Union Home Minister’s Medal.
“This ceremony is a mark of respect for the police and reflects the deep faith and gratitude society holds towards its guardians. The medals recognise officers and personnel who have demonstrated indomitable courage, exemplary service spirit, and outstanding efficiency in ensuring peace and security in the state,” he said.
He also called for enhanced use of technology in maintaining law and order, especially in tackling new-age crimes such as cybercrime.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was part of the ceremony, said that the state police should take cases related to caste-based discrimination very seriously. “Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE) police stations have been set up in every district. During a recent review meeting, I observed that the functioning and the progress of these stations weren’t satisfactory. This should be taken seriously, and the government's objective of providing safety to the weaker sections should be achieved. The conviction rate for cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is very low compared to other states, and the police should pay attention to this,” he said.
He also emphasised that many crimes can be prevented if preventive measures are taken. "The police must prevent atrocities against the weak,” he added.
The awardees included ADGP (Law and Order) R Hitendra, ADGP KV Sharath Chandra, Bengaluru city police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, ADGP S Murugan and IGP BR Ravikante Gowda.
Home Minister G Parameshwara underscored the need to curb cybercrimes. “The state police is being modernised, while there are challenges. Cyber crimes are increasing. If not curbed, people will suffer losses of crores of rupees. That is why a cyber police station was established in the state for the first time in the country. Today, more than 45 police stations have been set up in the state for cyber crimes."