Karnataka Police sets anti-piracy agenda

NEW DELHI: The country saw its first end-user anti-piracy raid in Bangalore recently. This step was taken by the local police force on the basis of the feedback received about the use of pirated software. Hard disk drives were confiscated as evidence and arrests were also made. This step is being lauded by software vendors who say that it will instill a sense of fear among users of pirated software. Said Sandeep Mehrotra, Channels Manager, Adobe India, "This kind of action will curb piracy in private organizations."

Software vendors like Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk and Symantec got together to train as many as 30 middle and senior level policemen to help them understand the concept of piracy and distinguish between genuine and pirated software. Said HT Sangliana, Police Commissioner, Karnataka, "The training provided a useful input to our men." For the Karnataka Police, the effort shall be an ongoing exercise to curb piracy in the state. Added Sangliana, "We are making a constant attempt to assist all those affected by piracy." The police has put its informants in place and acts on the information so received. "We hope to get more aggressive in the future," he remarked.

This is also seen as an effort to send positive signals to software companies who have invested heavily in the state. Industry watchers however lament that a similar initiative was not being taken by police departments in other states.