Bhubaneswar: Top police officers from five eastern states on Tuesday resolved to strengthen coordinated action against inter-state crime, Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), cybercrime, narcotics trafficking and other emerging security threats.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of the Eastern Regional Police Coordination Committee (ERPCC) held in Bhubaneswar.
Organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the meeting brought together Directors General of Police (DGPs) from Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, along with senior officers from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Central Police Organisations (CPOs) and other central agencies.
The meeting was chaired by Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Yogesh Bahadur Khurania, who welcomed the delegates and thanked the Ministry of Home Affairs for entrusting Odisha Police with hosting the regional coordination forum.
In his inaugural address, Khurania said security threats such as organised crime, cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking and Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) extend beyond state boundaries and require a coordinated, intelligence-led and technology-driven response.
Stressing that no state can effectively tackle these challenges in isolation, he called for continuous intelligence sharing, seamless exchange of information, adoption of advanced technology and stronger inter-state cooperation to counter increasingly sophisticated criminal and extremist networks.
The meeting focused on key security issues, including monitoring and rehabilitation of surrendered Left-Wing Extremists, coordinated efforts to curb inter-state narcotics trafficking, strengthening cybercrime investigations through real-time intelligence sharing, expediting the transfer and investigation of Zero FIRs, enhancing railway security and developing a unified strategy to address illegal infiltration.
The participants also discussed measures to intensify joint operations against inter-state criminal networks, improve policing in border areas and expand technology-enabled, intelligence-based policing.
A key outcome of the meeting was the unanimous decision to institutionalise regular ERPCC coordination meetings. The participating states agreed that periodic meetings would help review progress, share best practices, address emerging security concerns and further strengthen operational coordination among state police forces and central agencies.
Odisha DGP expressed confidence that the recommendations adopted during the deliberations would significantly enhance inter-state cooperation, strengthen law enforcement capabilities and reinforce national security while providing a robust framework to address complex security challenges across eastern India.
Among those present at the meeting were Crime Branch DG Vinaytosh Mishra, Director (Intelligence) R. P. Koche, ADG (Anti-Naxal Operation) Sanjeeb Panda, ADG (Railways & Coastal Security) Arun Bothra, ADG (Headquarters) Prateek Mohanty with senior officers from the participating states, CAPFs, CPOs and other central agencies.