Odisha DGP orders tight security for student polls, festive season; steps up focus on women’s safety and drugs

Cuttack: With student union elections scheduled for October 15 and the festive season approaching, Odisha DGP Vinaytosh Mishra has directed senior police officials across the state to step up preventive measures and ensure strict law and order.

Mishra issued the directions during a high-level review meeting with district Superintendents of Police and Range IGs/DIGs through video conferencing at the State Police Headquarters on Tuesday.

The meeting covered preparations for the student elections, festive-season security, women’s safety, cybercrime, crime control and the ‘Nishamukta Odisha Abhiyan’.

Reviewing the security arrangements for the student union elections, the DGP described students as a sensitive community and called for regular and direct communication between the police and student groups.

Inspectors-in-charge of police stations and SDPOs were directed to hold meetings with student leaders and maintain close coordination to ensure peaceful conduct of the elections.

Police were also instructed to prevent outsiders and anti-social elements from entering college campuses and to keep a close watch on hostels and messes.

The DGP called for regular interaction with students and directed officers to monitor student gatherings, feasts and other events that could potentially lead to disturbances.

At the same time, he cautioned against unnecessary deployment of police personnel in locations where there was no likelihood of violence, stressing the need for proportionate and targeted security arrangements.

Mishra called for better coordination among the district administration, police and educational institutions.

He advised district Collectors, SPs, Sub-Collectors and college principals to hold coordination meetings ahead of the elections.

The DGP also directed police officials to maintain heightened vigilance after the declaration of results, noting that the post-election period could carry a risk of clashes or violence.

Women’s safety was another major focus of the meeting.

Mishra directed police officials to give the issue the highest priority and ensure that sensitive cases are investigated promptly, impartially and effectively.

Taking note of the recent criminal incident involving a young woman in Bhubaneswar, he directed officers to maintain strict vigilance over the safety of women across the state and ensure strong legal action against those responsible.

The DGP also reviewed the state’s response to cybercrime and called for further strengthening of cyber police stations.

He directed officials to improve the investigation of cybercrime cases and ensure effective legal action against offenders.

The focus, he said, should be on strengthening the capacity of specialised units to respond more effectively to the growing threat of technology-enabled crime.

On overall crime control, Mishra called for strict action against habitual and organised criminals.

He directed police officials to intensify raids and checks against illegal activities and ensure effective enforcement of the NDPS Act.

The DGP also called for stronger implementation of the ‘Nishamukta Odisha Abhiyan’, with stringent action against drug trafficking networks and criminal groups involved in the illegal drug trade.

Police were also directed to take appropriate action to identify and destroy illegal cannabis cultivation in accordance with the provisions of the NDPS Act.

The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the new criminal laws and the need to strengthen police infrastructure across the state.

Mishra stressed effective implementation of the new legal framework and called for continued development of police infrastructure and operational capabilities.

The meeting was attended by senior police officers, including ADGP (Modernisation) S K Priyadarshi, ADGP (Railways and Coastal Security) Arun Bothra, Police Commissioner, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, S Dev Dutta Singh, ADGP (SAP) Rajesh Kumar, ADGP (Headquarters) Prateek Mohanty, ADGP (HRPC) Jatindra Koel, IGP (STF) Himanshu Kumar Lal, IGP (Intelligence) Satyabrata Bhoi, SCRB Director Abinash Kumar and IGP (Crime Branch) Dr Sarthak Sarangi.

Other senior officers, including IGP (Provisioning) Niti Shekhar, IGP (Training) Anup Sahu, DIGP (STF) Dr Kanwar Vishal Singh, DIGP (HRPC) Rajesh Pandit, DIGP (Crime Branch) Madkar Sandeep Sampat and DIGP (Personnel) Jugal Kishor Kumar Banoth, also participated.

All Range IGs/DIGs and district SPs joined the meeting through video conferencing.