Police investigation is based on intelligence gathering: Former DGP Guruprasad

Mangaluru: “Intelligence plays a prominent role in any security system and functions as the backbone for the police investigation and strategy,” said retired director general of police (DGP), Dr D V Guruprasad speaking about intelligence, anti-Veerappan operations and naxal menace here at the city police commissioner’s office on Thursday October 10.

Dr Guruprasad has also translated a book on Veerappan written by special task force chief K Vijayakumar into Kannada.

“So far I have authored over 60 books related to police and in two of these books there are insights into the functioning of the police department. I have worked as chief of intelligence under three chief ministers of Karnataka S M Krishna, Dharam Singh, and Kumaraswamy. Veerappan was a nightmare for the entire state and was a big headache. He was killed in the year 2004. Intelligence is collection of information, intelligence report is all about anticipation about how an incident can develop in course of time and pose problem, thus affecting law and order situation so we work on it to prevent or lessen the proposed impact,” he said.

“Veerappan had a strong intelligence network working for him, as he used to get information much faster as compared to the officials. Even the officials did not get information like Veerappan did. Veerappan attacked STF officer Gopal Hosur when he was on his way in a convoy vehicle. His information about the movement of people and officials was so accurate that he could perfectly plan the attacks well in advance and accurately execute them. Even in Nagappa’s case, his information was accurate about his current location and movements. Intelligence plays a very prominent role in any security set up and it happens to be a sensitive topic,” he noted.

“Police stations are the main units of intelligence. If we give less importance to intelligence, law and order will be in jeopardy. How do we get information? As it starts from police stations, when the staff are people friendly police automatically are able to get information smoothly like having a beat system with the involvement of the people. Intelligence is backbone of police. Veerappan was a Robinhood-like figure for many,” he pointed.

Answering to a query concerning hone tapping, Dr D V Guruprasad said, “Phone tapping is interception of communication for collection of intelligence which is 100% necessary. Interception of communication can be phone, emails, and social media to prevent misuse of power. There are many organizations apart from police who are authorized to intercept communications.”

” Out of 100 cases intelligence information will be right in 99 cases and in one percent of cases there can be wrong inputs. When it comes to strengthening of intelligence we had tabled a proposal to have separate intelligence wing and separate recruitment for this entity, which has now been accepted and it is being implemented,” said Dr Guruprasad.