Internet centres lack monitoring

Police officials are failing to keep a watch on internet cafes which have become centres for anti- social and anti-national activities.
There is no supervision or control over the numerous cyber cafes across the district. Around 100 internet centres function in Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Bodhan, Armoor, Banswada, Yellareddy towns and in rural areas. Following the arrest of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba operative Zia Ul Haq in Hyderabad, the extent of the use of internet by terrorists came to light.
Nizamabad district has been identified as a terrorist-affected area with several offences committed in the district for some time.
Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) activities were reported in Bodhan, Nizamabad and Navipet areas of the district.
The encounter of terrorist Azam Ghori in neighboring Jagtial of Karimnagar district, the arrest of Ashiq Ali, another terrorist near Sarangapur in Nizamabad mandal, indicated this. The role of terrorists is suspected in serial stabbing cases in Kamareddy town three years ago.
Owners of cyber cafes are providing fully covered cabins for users without verifying their identity proof, facilitating misuse of internet for browsing pornographic sites and communicating with terrorist elements.
Bodhan DSP B. Srinivas Reddy said that they had raided internet centres earlier to prevent any illegal activities.
There was no chance for anti-social activities in those centres, he said.
“We are frequently verifying the licences of cyber cafes as well as computer training institutes,” he explained. The police said they were also asking the owners to check the identity of internet users.