Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the government was bringing in technology to make the country’s borders “impregnable” and detailed preparations were being made. It was undertaking a comprehensive modernisation programme to prepare the police and central armed police forces (CAPFs) for newer challenges of terrorism, cybercrime and border security.
Mr. Shah made the remarks at the National Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day. The day is observed to pay homage to 10 policemen (of the Central Reserve Police Force) killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in 1959 in Ladakh's Hot Spring area.
India and China are currently locked in a stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.
A ceremonial guard of honour by a joint squad of the CAPFs was presented during the event that was attended by Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of the Intelligence Bureau Arvinda Kumar and chiefs of the CAPFs.
New challenges
“The work of police is witnessing new challenges and new dimensions in the areas of terrorism, fake currency, narcotics control, cybercrime, arms smuggling, human trafficking. It is a challenge to prepare the police forces for the new dimensions that have emerged in the last 2-3 decades. We have prepared a comprehensive modernisation programme for the police and I am hopeful that in the coming days the Modi government will prepare them to meet these challenges”, Mr. Shah said.
The technology and promptness of troops would go hand in hand and “we will be able to better secure our borders”, he said.
The government was “going to do many things” so that the deficiency in availability of police personnel per one lakh population was addressed, he noted.
Mr. Shah lauded the police personnel for ensuring internal and border security in the country with their vigilance.
He said a total of 35,398 police and CAPF personnel had laid down their lives in the line of duty till now, with 264 making the supreme sacrifice in the past year. He added that 343 police personnel died due to COVID-19.
