Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu lauded the police for their selfless service towards protecting people. He stated that police officers usually lose time with their families because of work pressures. The state commemorated Police Martyrs' Day at the 6th Battalion in Mangalagiri, Guntur district, with Chief Minister Naidu as the chief guest and a ceremonial salute. At the function, he launched a book called "Amarulu Varu."
CM Naidu remembored the valour of CRPF forces on 21st October, 1959, when ten troopers were martyred while engaged in combat with Chinese soldiers. He stated Martyrs' Day is annually observed in their memory. In the entire country, 192 policemen sacrificed their lives this year while working. The Chief Minister offered prayers for their souls and was in awe of their bravery and devotion.
He recognized the role of police in ensuring peace through faction-free rule, an end to Naxalism, and curbing crime. CM Naidu saluted officers who perform their duties with sympathy, giving examples like a Penamalur head constable who purchased sandals for the barefoot kids of Vijayawada. He honored the police families for the sacrifices made by them in supporting their loved ones and tolerating adversities.
The Chief Minister said that social unrest holds back investment and economic progress. He insisted that law and order has to be sustained for the progress of the state. The government is modernizing police systems with new technology to counter increasing cyber and white-collar crime.
He called for the increased use of CCTV cameras, drones, and Google Takeouts. In his opinion, CCTV cameras are the "third eye" of the police and facilitate gathering strong evidence against criminals. CM Naidu informed that the establishment of Eagle and Shakti teams has made the state police more robust. He added that attempts are being made to prevent drug trafficking, cultivation of marijuana, and smuggling of red sandalwood.
Naidu cautioned that the criminals are becoming more sophisticated in their use of technology and said the police need to remain one step ahead. He noted that Google's investment in Visakhapatnam is an indicator of world confidence in the law and order in Andhra Pradesh. He emphasized that short-term hurdles must not impact the long-term objective of upholding peace and progress.
The Chief Minister also addressed political abuse of social media and false campaigns propagating misinformation to make society divide. He asked the police to take action sternly against such acts without compromising on fairness. CM Naidu ensured that his administration is fully behind the police with total freedom and resources.
The Chief Minister also made many welfare schemes for police officers. Among them are the insurance benefit, surrender leave, and dearness allowance (DA). He assured that home guards are to be given health insurance and that 6,100 new constables have been inducted.
He finally ended by saying his vision to make Andhra Pradesh the best state in India by 2047, considering that all this is possible by ensuring total public safety and strong law enforcement.
