Police turn to Facebook to nab criminals in Indore

City police have created a Facebook page which the criminals may not "like".

Indore police are taking the help of the social networking site Facebook to gather information about some absconding criminals, a senior police official said.

It is also using its two Facebook pages to inform the people about following proper rules and regulations while they have received a number of 'likes' and comments for the posts, sources said.

"After police in some cities managed to get leads on criminals and various incidents through the social networking site, we are also trying to take its help, along with other conventional methods, in getting clues about them," Indore SP (headquarters) Dr Ashish told PTI Bhasha today.

Police have recently uploaded photos of two criminals who allegedly robbed Rs 60 lakh from the Kanadia road branch of Bank of Maharashtra on December 12, 2008, he said.

Police have also announced a prize of Rs3.5 lakh to those who provide leads about the criminals.

"We have posted photos of criminals which were captured by the CCTVs of the bank. On Facebook, the photos would be seen by large number of people," Ashish said.

The SP also said he has received some clues about those behind the bank heist from police officers of different areas.

Indore district cyber crime cell head Jitendra Singh said the two criminals whose photos they have uploaded on Facebook, were allegedly also involved in two other major bank robberies.

"The Facebook users are 'sharing' these pictures, which has increased the hope that we would soon get some prime leads about the accused and would be able to nab them," Singh said.