Bengal: Kolkata police joins CRI-MAC network to track criminals
Kolkata, July 21
Kolkata Police has joined the country's 'Cri-MAC' network to strengthen its search for criminals, a senior officer said on Monday. This will make it easier for the force to track down offenders even if they flee to other parts of India. Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters, has directed officers to join the network.
Cri-MAC is a secure, web-based digital platform launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2020 to share crime and criminal data. Managed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), it serves as a central hub for real-time, 24x7 information sharing among law enforcement agencies nationwide.
According to the officer, police and intelligence agencies exchange information about crimes and criminals through Cri-MAC. Often, there is a communication gap between state police forces and central agencies. To bridge this, Kolkata Police officers have been asked to use the network regularly.
On behalf of Lalbazar, Deputy Commissioners and police station officers have been instructed to log in using ICJS (Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System) credentials. They must access the Cri-MAC portal at least once a day, or more if necessary. The portal allows officers to send messages to multiple recipients and retrieve information using the 'Search Option'.
Lalbazar has directed every police station officer to use the portal. Through it, Kolkata Police can contact officers at any police station in the country when required, enabling them to gather information related to the investigation of major cases.
This system will help arrest interstate criminals and identify offenders hiding either in Kolkata or outside the state. If police in another state recover evidence from criminals, the information can be shared instantly, aiding investigations. National-level alerts will also be accessible through Cri-MAC.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good step by Kolkata Police! But let's be honest - the communication gap between state and central agencies has been a problem for decades. Unless there's actual training and accountability, people will just log in once a day as instructed and nothing will change. The NCRB needs to ensure the system is user-friendly first.
Welcome move! But yaar, why did it take so long? Kolkata police is one of the oldest forces in the country, and they are joining now? What about other states still not on this platform? MHA should make this mandatory for all police forces across India. Interstate criminal networks don't wait for bureaucratic delays!
Having worked in law enforcement in the US, this is very similar to our NCIC system. The key is real-time data entry and proper training. If Kolkata Police officers actually use it daily as instructed, it could be a game-changer. Good to see India modernizing its criminal tracking system. Hope it works!
I appreciate the effort but honestly, India's police systems are still too fragmented. Even if Kolkata Police joins Cri-MAC, what about small town thanas that don't even have proper internet? Infrastructure needs to catch up first. Also, privacy concerns are real - hope there are safeguards against misuse of personal data.
Finally some good news for Kolkata's security situation. With all the recent crimes, this feels like a positive step. I just hope the ICJS integration actually works smoothly - these government portals often crash or have glitches. But it's definitely better than the old paper-based system. Let's see results in 6 months.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.