Citizen unit to stop crime in Bihar

The Bihar police is working on a proposal to establish Cyber Senani Samooh (CSS) units, comprising civilians as their registered members, to prevent the misuse of social media in the state.

The unit will work in close coordination with the cybercrime and social media units (CCSMUs) of the state police department.

Various steps are being undertaken to constitute 74 CCSMUs in the state covering all the 38 districts. The notification regarding the same has been issued by police headquarters for the formation of the CSS units at the identified administrative points, police stations, and outposts.

The CSS units comprising of young boys and girls from the state will be ready by August 30. These units will then be ready to control crime in the state from October onwards.

Both of these units will complement each other in information exchange while neutralising together the rumours generated and spread through social media platforms. The Cyber Senani Samooh units will function as a form of community policing.

The total strength of the state police force is much less than members of CSS units which explains in itself the critical role the CSS units will play in maintaining social harmony across the state.

"The CSS units will be formed at 1,075 police stations, 225 police outposts, and 115 sub-divisional police stations. The overall number of the civilians engaged, enlisted and impaneled through the CSS units would be anywhere between 1.40 lakh and 3.73 lakh," Additional director general of police (Bihar), S K Singhal.