New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS): Pre-empting instances of damages to telecom infrastructure, Rajasthan has alerted its police force to act against such elements as telecom services fall under essential services and its disruption causes huge inconvenience to the general public.

The Additional Director General (ADG) CID (Crime) in a letter to police chiefs of districts across Rajasthan has given a directive to prevent any attacks on optical fibre network and telecom towers of telecom companies.

The letter said that the ADG office has been alerted by the telecom companies that some elements are deliberately cutting or disrupting the optical fibre network spread across Rajasthan which is causing inconvenience to the public. This also disrupts internet connectivity thereby causing difficulties for the public.

The directive says that all police chiefs are informed that telecom services come under the purview of essential services.

If any such complaint of vandalism is received at a police station, the directive says immediate investigation is to be conducted and the concerned culprits to be meted out punishment as per law.

In addition, if the telecom companies or internet providers seek police force to rejoin the optical fibre then the police security should be provided, as per Rajasthan police authorities.