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Police Manthan: Use AI, tech to curb foreign funded conversions, UP CM Adityanath tells IPS officers

Orders crackdown against organised gangs involved in cow smuggling

Yogi Adityanath will be presiding over a two-day senior police officers' conference at the DGP headquarters in Lucknow.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to promptly identify suitable land in all districts for the proposed project, which aims to directly link industrial development with employment generation. (File photo)

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday directed top police officers to use artificial intelligence, financial trail analysis, technical intelligence and other modern resources to curb “foreign funded religious conversion rackets”. He was addressing the valedictory session of the two-day police officers’ conference — Police Manthan— in Lucknow.

Terming religious conversion a “serious challenge”, the chief minister said that incidents like Balrampur indicate that such “activities are being carried out in an organised manner”. A few months ago, the UP Police had arrested a cleric from Balrampur for allegedly running a religious conversion racket and getting funds from other countries.

Certain anti-social elements are misusing the names of eminent personalities to form new organisations and spread unrest, the CM noted. He directed the police to “conduct thorough background checks of such organisations, dismantle their networks and ensure strict legal action’.

He instructed strict action against organised gangs involved in cow smuggling stating that “merely making prompt arrests in cases of cow smuggling is not sufficient. Instead, the entire network and its masterminds should be identified and proceeded against with the strictest action. This would send a strong message against such organised crimes and ensure effective control over cow smuggling and related offences,” he said.

The CM instructed the police and intelligence agencies to maintain continuous surveillance over activities related to religious conversion, further strengthen intelligence through social media monitoring, and prevent such incidents at the initial stage itself.

‘Strengthen border security using tech’

Yogi directed that border security and counter-terrorism mechanisms be technologically strengthened to effectively curb the rise in terrorist activities and narcotics trafficking originating from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Analysing the emerging dimensions of terrorist activities arising from international borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, the CM emphasised further strengthening border surveillance.

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He appreciated the stringent action taken by the police against terrorism, narcotics trafficking and organised crime and asserted these efforts need to be made even more effective. He directed stronger inter-departmental coordination and real-time information sharing among security agencies to ensure prompt action and to break the morale of criminal networks.

Expressing concern over the misuse of social media, misinformation, deepfakes, dark web activities, cybercrime and terrorist networks, Yogi directed the police and intelligence agencies to take immediate cognisance of any objectionable content affecting law and order or communal and social harmony, and ensure swift action. He made it clear that “no laxity would be tolerated towards elements attempting to divide society on the basis of caste or religion, exert pressure on the police, or create chaos”.

He instructed that fake accounts and organised disinformation campaigns be identified and dealt with strictly. He said that in the present scenario there is a need to make intelligence gathering, local inputs and technical surveillance even more active. To maintain peace, harmony and law and order in the state, he directed that every activity on social media be closely monitored.

The CM asked the IPS officers in field postings to respond patiently to the public representatives. He said, these representatives are a vital link in the democratic system and should be met at least once a month. No public representative supports wrongdoing, he added, and officers should share the ground reality with them and respond to their calls. Presentations on the concluding day of Police Manthan included Disaster Management, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Large Crowd Management, Intelligence and Emerging Challenges such as Social Media/NGOs and the Nepal Border, Anti-Terrorism, Narcotics, Cow Smuggling and Other Organised Crimes.

Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution. Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape. Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More

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