Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has said that narcotics and cybercrimes are the “biggest challenges” facing the state’s police force, calling for a major upgrade in technology, training, and manpower to keep pace with the changing nature of crime. Speaking at a police retreat in Hyderabad, he urged the department to adapt quickly to new‑age offences, emphasising that traditional policing models are no longer sufficient.
Why drugs and cybercrime are top priorities
Revanth Reddy highlighted how drug trafficking, synthetic narcotics, and dark‑web‑linked markets are feeding youth addiction and organised crime networks across the state. At the same time, cybercrime—ranging from online fraud and financial scams to misinformation and data‑breach‑related blackmail—has surged as Telangana increasingly becomes a digital‑services hub. The Chief Minister argued that these two domains test both the technical and investigative capacity of the police, and that any lag in response can erode public trust and economic stability.
Push for modernisation and systemic reform
The CM stressed that the police need more than just manpower; they require better forensic tools, cybersecurity infrastructure, and specialised training modules to handle complex digital‑evidence cases. He announced that the state government will set up a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to review proposals from the department on cybercrime, narcotics, and recruitment, and to recommend systemic reforms. Through this, the government hopes to bridge the gap between the current police structure and the evolving threat landscape, while also reinforcing the idea that “crime is evolving, and the police must evolve faster.”
