Haryana has secured the top position in the country by blocking over 55,000 mobile numbers associated with cyber fraud. As of November 30th, this year, the Haryana Police has safeguarded Rs. 66 crore from potential cyber frauds. With 29 dedicated cyber police stations, the force has apprehended 1,707 cyber criminals and logged 2,354 cyber fraud cases.
Haryana Police’s efforts
Giving this information, Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur highlighted the consistent efforts against cybercriminals, which have notably reduced cybercrimes in the state. The Haryana Police conducts regular cyber workshops to keep pace with the evolving tactics of cybercriminals. They have also established collaborations with financial institutions, particularly banks, to promptly freeze accounts linked to cyber fraud. To bolster their response, the strength of personnel on the cyber helpline has been increased from 35 to 70.
Detailed overview
By early December, the Haryana Police had registered 2,354 cybercrime cases, including 409 high-profile ones. These cases led to the apprehension of 1,707 cybercriminals, with fraud amounts totaling over Rs. 5 lakh in each case. The proactive stance of the police is evident, as they initiated action in 79 cases based on their observations. Additionally, the cyber team identified a staggering 59,195 mobile numbers associated with cyber fraud on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, successfully blocking over 55,933 of them.
Significant recovery
According to the Director General of Police, Mr. Kapur, the police force has saved a cumulative amount of Rs. 66.92 crore in just 11 months. In a bid to fortify their cybersecurity measures, 27 officers have been designated as incident managers at the National Cyber Helpline 1930 headquarters, situated in the 112 ERSS Building, Panchkula.
Praise for collaborative efforts
The Director General of Police, Mr. Kapur, commended the concerted efforts of the nodal team and field units. He emphasized their pivotal role in achieving the commendable feat of safeguarding Rs. 66.92 crore within 11 months. The Panchkula cyber helpline team alone accounted for savings of Rs. 38.11 crore, while the district cyber units contributed by preventing Rs. 28.81 crore in potential frauds. Additionally, Team 1930’s intervention led to the freezing of over Rs. 51 lakh in a crucial cyber fraud case.
Helpline successes
He further shared that by November 30 of this year, the helpline had received around 1 lakh complaints related to cyber fraud. Of these, over 51,000 complaints have been resolved, with efforts ongoing for the rest. This year alone, 2,354 cases were registered under the IT Act. The state police successfully closed 647 cases, including 409 high-profile ones. Recognizing the technical nuances of cybercrime, Haryana Police conducted workshops for investigative officers and staff. This year, they trained a total of 3,025 officers and personnel.
Cyber awareness
A police spokesperson revealed that Haryana Police observes the first Wednesday of every month as Cyber Awareness Day. Through various programs this year, they reached out to roughly 20.91 lakh individuals, enlightening them about deep fake technology and cautioning against sharing OTPs and personal details on social media.