Underlining the need to modernize the police force, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday advised the police personnel to become tech-savvy in order to remain two steps ahead of criminals.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the 48th All India Police Science Congress (AIPSC) organized by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) here.

"Police need to be tech-savvy to remain two steps ahead of criminals," he said.

Shah added that there was a need to modernize and train the police force in order to strengthen the country's internal security.

The minister said that in the last eight years, the Narendra Modi government has almost settled the Kashmir issue, and also resolved Naxalism and narocotics problem in the North East region.

"After the abrogation of Article 370, large-scale development is happening in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

The two-day event is being held at the Central Academy of Police Training (CAPT) in Bhopal.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also spoke on the occasion.

The main objective of the programme is to provide a common platform to various police forces, units, social scientists, forensic experts and other stakeholders to deliberate on selected themes of topical interests to the Indian police, an official said.

For the first time, the AIPSC is being attended by police forces, units, social scientists, forensic experts and stakeholders along with the officers of the department of correctional administration, he said.

During the event, papers will be presented on various themes, including policing during the pandemic, skills of investigators and aid of technology, law and order processes, human resource management and wellness, leadership mentoring and mental health stress management, and prison processes and good practices.

About 100 participants, 20 speakers from different states, union territories, Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), Central Police Organisation (CPO), prisons and correctional administration as well as forensic science laboratories and various universities are taking part in the conference, the official said.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel will chair the valedictory session of the AIPSC on Saturday.