Skype, the Internet service providing free phone calls between computers and cheap calls direct to phones worldwide, and the VOIP (voice over internet protocol)-enabled high-end smart mobile phones, have come under the Intelligence Bureau's scanner for security concerns as terrorists and left-wing extremists are using them off late to escape detection by the security agencies.

Concern over these calls was flagged by the state police chiefs of Punjab and Jharkhand at the annual DGP (Directors General of Police) conference conducted by the IB last month that the tech savvy terrorists escape detection by using their VOIP smart phones to access Internet and make calls using encrypted communication, proxy servers and WiFi connections. They even do not insert a SIM card in such phones to avoid their location getting registered as the Internet calls can be made without it.

A working group, headed by a senior IB official with the intelligence officers from several state government, has been tasked to formulate strategy to deal with this new cyber menace, including the necessary regulatory measures and development of a de-encryption software to improve gathering of the technical intelligence on the terror groups who are making use of encrypted communications to evade radar of the security agencies.

It will be also looking for a de-duplication software to resolve the problem of a large number of the SIM cards registered under false identity. It was pointed out in the DGP conference that the onus put on the mobile service providers to eliminate such cards did not work out as they are more interested in expanding their consumer base.

Yet another group headed by Bihar DGP Abhayanand with representatives from police from the metropolitan cities has been tasked to work out the modalities for securing the police access to the National Population Registrar (NPR), photo electoral rolls for elections and the UID (unique identity) database for the purpose of the crime investigation.

There may, however, be legal difficulties in Police getting access to these databases since the enumerators are trained to give solemn assurance to people while recording their details that they will not be used for any purpose other than the purpose for which the enumeration is done. The human rights activists warn that access of such databases to police will breach privacy of the people and many may avoid getting themselves registered with such databases if they learn that it will expose them to automatic police scrutiny.

Many state police chiefs also raised serious concern over an easy availability of the explosives like ammonium nitrate, detonators and gelatine sticks, enabling the terrorists and other ultras make bombs and develop improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Participants in the DGP conference were shocked when Andaman and Nicobar Islands DGP S B Deol pointed out seizure of large quantities of these explosives in his territory that has little mining activities to justify them.

At his instance on the inadequacies of the existing laws to regulate manufacture, transport, sale and use of the explosives, a separate working group has been set up to revisit the regulatory policies under the chairmanship of Kerala DGP Jacob Punnoose. The group includes representatives of the Naxal-hit states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The group will assess the magnitude of the problem, particularly with regard to ammonium nitrate, and recommend correctives in the form of stern regulations on sale and purchase of the explosives, the Home Ministry sources said.  It will also examine a suggestion of West Bengal DGP Bhupinder Singh on better coordination among the states on the inter-state movement of arms, ammunition and explosives and strengthened capability of the office of the Controller of Explosives for checking the pilferage of explosives like ammonium nitrate.

Though the laws require the stockists and manufacturer to maintain record of the explosives in their godowns and in transit, their easy availability to the ultras exposes the loopholes. The pilferage is serious during the inter-state movement of the explosives as noticed only last October 16 in Madhya Pradesh when police seized a huge cache of 5,000 detonators and 10 boxes of gelatine sticks. Delhi Police was also able to seize a huge cache of explosives from a stolen parked at Ambala railway station that were supposed to be used in the capital during Diwali.