Shah Rukh Khan turns global crime fighter

Shah Rukh Khan. Sajjad Hussain / AFP photo

Shah Rukh Khan has become the first Indian ambassador to Interpol’s Turn Back Crime campaign, which seeks to promote ways in which everyone can do their bit to help prevent crime, and he’s invoked the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi to help him in his new role.

Khan said: “It’s a very special honour to be a part of Interpol’s Turn Back Crime Campaign as an Ambassador. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘I shall not fear anyone on Earth. I shall fear only God. I shall not bear ill will toward anyone. I shall not submit to injustice from anyone. I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering, if I have to.’ We all should believe in this maxim and in whatever way possible resolve not to let unjust people who might threaten us with criminal activity make us fear them. Because I believe we can, we should, and we must stand together against the few who commit crimes against any human being, in whatever form or guise these crimes might take.”

Khan joins fellow ambassador Jackie Chan and other celebrities including Formula 1 racing drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in supporting the global campaign.

Turn Back Crime seeks to raise public awareness that organized crime is often involved in seemingly unrelated crimes. Drugs trafficking, people smuggling, counterfeiting, cybercrime, kidnapping, crimes against children and corruption in sport are in fact often interconnected, with profits from one crime area used to fund another and the campaign hopes to help the public better understand these issues and empower them not to be duped by criminals when buying products or using the Internet.