US help sought in cyberspace

Karnataka has sought American help to crack cyber crime cases faster, with quicker responses from search engines Google and Yahoo.

The matter was raised here today when US Consul General in Chennai Andrew T Simkin called on Karnataka home minister V S Acharya, law and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar and senior police officials here.

“When we need information (in connection with cyber crime cases), the response is sometimes slow (including from Google and Yahoo),” Acharya told reporters.

He said the new consul general, who was on a courtesy visit after taking charge recently, replied that he will send experts to Bangalore to extend help in this regard, as also share expertise in the area such as crimes.

The state also requested the consul general to open up a visa processing office in Bangalore and promised to offer all facilities for such an office.

“There are around 7,000 American citizens in Karnataka,” the minister said. On an average 40,000 to 50,000 people from Karnataka visit Chennai every year seeking different types of visas,” he added.