President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday warned that the deliberate spread of misinformation to create fear among people was emerging as a serious challenge, and called for smart policing to prevent such situations from escalating.
Addressing probationers of the Indian Police Service (IPS) 2025 batch at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Murmu highlighted the growing threats posed by deepfakes, cybercrime and the misuse of advanced technologies by criminals.
She emphasised that police officers must remain ahead of those exploiting technological developments for unlawful activities and adapt their methods to emerging security challenges.
The President said organised disinformation campaigns could influence public perceptions, particularly among young people, and potentially create disturbances at different levels.
"Impressionable minds, especially the youth, can be swayed by orchestrated disinformation. This kind of orchestrated mischief can happen at local, regional, or even national levels," she said.
"Smart policing can prevent such situations from getting too challenging and big," Murmu added.
๐๐๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐
The President expressed concern over the increasing prevalence and seriousness of cybercrimes, stressing that police forces needed to expand public awareness about digital threats.
She said the emergence of deepfake content had introduced new challenges for law enforcement agencies, making it essential for officers to continuously upgrade their technological understanding and investigative capabilities.
Murmu urged the probationers to reconsider conventional approaches to policing and develop strategies suited to crimes involving sophisticated digital tools.
She also encouraged officers to remain open to learning from colleagues across ranks, observing that some junior personnel might possess greater proficiency in emerging technologies than their seniors.
The President advised the young officers not to hesitate to seek guidance from even the most junior members of their teams when dealing with technical matters.
๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐
Highlighting the relationship between policing and public confidence in governance, Murmu said police officers and constables represented the government in the eyes of ordinary citizens.
"People perceive the governance to be good when the police system functions well. People feel immensely supported when a police officer listens to their grievances with sensitivity and attentiveness," she said.
She urged the probationers to give particular attention to socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, who often lacked access to senior officials and could feel intimidated while approaching the authorities.
The President said alleviating their fears and addressing their grievances should be among the foremost responsibilities of police officers.
She also called for greater public participation and teamwork in policing, emphasising that officers should encourage cooperation within their departments and maintain a supportive working environment.
Prioritising the welfare of team members, she said, would strengthen their capabilities, motivation and enthusiasm for public service.
๐๐๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐
Murmu reminded the probationers that although policing laws and regulations conferred substantial authority upon them, genuine public respect depended on their conduct and values.
"However, they will earn real respect from the people, based on their performance and value system," she was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The President stressed that police officers should approach their responsibilities with a commitment to serving citizens rather than a sense of superiority over them.
She urged the young officers to combine professional competence with humility, sensitivity and ethical conduct, observing that the effectiveness of policing ultimately depended on the confidence and trust of the people it served.