Udupi : A prize distribution ceremony was held on Friday at the District DAR Central Office to honour participants of the civilian firearm training camp and winners of various competitions conducted as part of Cyber Security Awareness Month. The event recognised efforts by both civilians and police personnel in promoting digital safety and responsible firearm training across Udupi district.
Civilian firearm training concludes successfully
From October 10 to 30, the Udupi district police organised a civilian firearms training programme aimed at improving public awareness of firearm safety and responsible handling. A total of 200 candidates who successfully completed the training were awarded certificates during the event.
Speaking at the ceremony, Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar commended the participants for their discipline and commitment. He emphasised that the initiative not only equips citizens with technical knowledge but also fosters a culture of lawful and responsible gun ownership.
Cyber awareness campaign engages the public
Parallel to the firearm training, the Udupi police conducted a district-wide Cyber Security Awareness campaign throughout October. The campaign, themed under hashtags #CyberJagruthiUdupi and #CyberSafeUdupi, encouraged the public and police to create memes, reels, and images promoting cyber safety. Participants shared these posts on social media to spread awareness about online fraud, phishing, and digital hygiene.
Between October 15 and 30, the official social media accounts of the district police shared 20 cyber awareness posts and 25 educational videos. These videos were also screened at local movie theatres, reaching a wider audience and amplifying the campaign’s impact.
SP Hariram Shankar said that police teams visited nearly 74 schools, colleges, and public places across the district to conduct interactive awareness sessions. During these visits, officers administered a cyber safety pledge to 5,037 people. Additionally, 666 citizens took the pledge online and received digital certificates via email.
Winners of Cyber Awareness Month competitions
As part of the awareness initiative, a series of competitions were held for both the public and police personnel. The Action Creation Team Katapadi bagged the first prize in the reels competition (public category), while the Department of Cyber Security with Proton Association and NSS IT Wing, NMAM Institute of Technology, Nitte, along with the Instagram page Jolly Ride, secured second place.
In the meme competition, Made in Kundapur (Instagram page) and Pranati won the first and second prizes, respectively. For the drawing competition, Parikshit Achar clinched the top spot, followed by Arya in second place.
Among police personnel, Manjunath (HC, Shirva Police Station) received the first prize in the Cyber Awareness video competition, while Dinesh M (HC, Ajekar Station) and Pavankumar M (PC, CEN Station) shared the second prize.
Recognising contributors to the campaign
At the event, Srujan Shetty and Sachin Shetty were honoured with mementos for their exceptional cooperation and support in executing the Cyber Awareness campaign. The SP congratulated the winners and lauded the collective effort of the police department, educational institutions, and local communities in making the month-long initiative a success.
Conclusion
The Udupi police’s twin initiatives — civilian firearm training and cyber awareness programmes — reflect the department’s commitment to enhancing public safety and digital literacy. With over 5,000 citizens sensitised to cyber threats and hundreds trained in firearm discipline, the district continues to set a benchmark for proactive community policing in Karnataka.