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Assam police joins ULFA's cyber-war

Nitin Gogoi in Guwahati

This war will be fought not with bullets but with bytes. The Assam police is all set to launch a Web site of its own to counter the 'net propaganda' launched by militant outfits such as the banned United Liberation Front of Asom.

According to the state's director general of police Hare Krishna Deka, the Web site (URL: http://assampolice.org) will be operational in the beginning of February. Through the site, the Assam police is hoping to counter the various allegations of excesses brought by militant groups at various fora abroad.

The site will also have an archive and a general information section for the common people. "We are in fact seeking permission to declassify some of the 50-year old documents so that all those interested in research and history can access it easily," Deka said.

The Assam police is in fact seeking legal opinion on whether citizens can file first information reports through the net, Deka said at a press conference recently. Till the legal aspect is cleared, at least the FIR format would be available on the Web site, Deka added.

The Web site is only a small part of the modernisation drive launched by the state police over the past couple of years. Briefing newspersons, deputy inspector general of police A H Khandekar, in-charge of the programme, said the Centre has allocated Rs 2 billion for the modernisation of the Assam police in the next five years, accepting almost in full the plan submitted by the state government.

In the past two years alone, the Centre allotted 624 vehicles to the Assam police, besides communication equipment and weaponry as part of the modernisation drive. "These allotments far surpass those made during the past 20 years together," Khandekar added.

Outlining various steps being taken up for the modernisation of the Assam police, DGP Deka said apart from procuring vehicles, weapons and communication equipment, priority is being given to upgrading the state forensic science laboratory at Kahilipara to international standards, and expanding forensic facilities to moffasil towns by opening three regional FSLs and 25 mobile laboratories in the district headquarters. The facilities in the training institutes at Dergaon and Mandakata would be upgraded, complete with swimming pool and electronic-firing range simulator, Deka revealed.

In the matter of modernising investigative gadgets, the police has plans to computerise crime records and fingerprint bureau records up to district and battalion levels involving an amount of Rs 20 million, he said. Besides, every police station and outpost would be housed in government buildings, with facilities for round-the-clock canteen and reception. Special rooms with toilet facilities in police stations would be created for women staff, he said.

The DGP also revealed that the next five years would witness major modernisation plans for traffic arrangements in Guwahati city and some other major towns of Assam. A sum of Rs 25 million has been earmarked for the purpose.

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