Police forces must operate on frontiers of modern technology: PM

New Delhi, Sep 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that our police forces must operate on the frontiers of modern technology.

Addressing the Directors General and Inspectors General of Police's here on the concluding day of a two-day conference at Vigyan Bhavan here, Dr Singh called for creating a new-age policeman who is more professional, better-motivated, suitably empowered, well-trained, one who places greater emphasis on technology for investigation and other tasks.

"The modernisation of police should be given the highest priority,' he added

He stressed on the need for strengthening policing at the grass root level and filling up large number of vacancies at various levels.

He also said that secessionist and terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir are again attempting to make common cause with outside elements with the intention to create the impression of widespread turmoil in the state.

"There are certain developments that are worrisome. Infiltration across the Line of Control and also via other routes such as Nepal, Bangladesh and the sea is going up. Encounters with armed militants have become more frequent in recent weeks and months.

"There were reasons to be satisfied that both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state were held in a peaceful manner and that the level of violence is "perhaps at its lowest levels" since the beginning of insurgency in the late 80's," he added.

He also expressed concern over increasing incidents of Naxal violence, which he termed as the "gravest internal security threat."

"The Left Wing Extremism is, perhaps, the gravest internal security threat our country faces. We have discussed this in the last five years and I would like to say that we have not achieved as much success as we would have liked in containing this menace. It is a matter of concern that despite our efforts, the level of violence in the affected States continues to rise," he added.

Contending that Naxalism cannot be treated as a law and order problem, he said dealing with Maoists requires a "nuanced" strategy.

"Despite its sanguinary nature, the movement manages to retain the support of a section of the tribal communities and the poorest of the poor in many affected areas. It has influence among certain sections of the civil society, the intelligentsia and the youth. It still retains a certain élan. All this adds to the complexity of the problem," he added.

Expressing concern over the volatile situation in the northeast, Dr.Singh said: "The situation in the northeastern parts of our country is far from comfortable. In two of the states-Manipur and Assam-current levels of violence give us cause for concern."

"In addition, extortion and intimidation have become a menace across most of the States in the region and they have reached a point where they constitute a serious hampering of the implementation of a number of development projects in these States," he said.

He also said firm but compassionate handling of law and order matters, can certainly bring about substantial improvement in the prevailing state of affairs in the northeast states. (ANI)