Kerala police launch ‘Hackup 2026’ to develop AI-powered solutions against cybercrime

Kerala Police has launched Hackup 2026, a nationwide hackathon under CoCon 2026, inviting innovators, startups and cybersecurity experts to develop AI-based tools for cyber investigations. The initiative aims to enhance digital policing, analyse evidence efficiently and strengthen responses to emerging cyber threats

Thiruvananthapuram: In a major push to strengthen technology-driven policing, the Kerala Police have launched a nationwide hunt for innovation through ‘Hackup 2026’ (HAC’KP 2026), a pan-India multi-city hackathon focused on developing next-generation solutions to combat cybercrime.

Organised as part of the Kerala Police Cyber Security Conference CoCon 2026, the official website of Hackup 2026 was launched, and registrations for the hackathon were inaugurated at the Police Headquarters by State Police Chief Ravada Chandrashekhar on Thursday.

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The initiative aims to bring together students, researchers, startups, innovators and cybersecurity experts from across the country to create advanced technology solutions for modern policing challenges.

Launching the programme, Chandrashekhar said cybercrimes were becoming increasingly sophisticated, with organised criminal networks, financial frauds, crimes against children and artificial intelligence-driven offences creating new challenges for investigators.

He said law enforcement agencies were facing difficulties in extracting meaningful intelligence from the massive volume of digital evidence generated during investigations.

Collaborative platforms like Hackup, he added, could help bridge the gap between technology and policing.

The theme of Hackup 2026 is “Agentic AI for Investigations: From Evidence to Intelligence”.

The hackathon seeks to develop artificial intelligence-based tools that can help investigative agencies analyse digital evidence, identify patterns and convert information into actionable intelligence.

The event also saw the launch of the Kerala Police Cyberdome website, along with the unveiling of the official Hackup 2026 trailer and promotional materials.

Senior police officials, including DGP and Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director Manoj Abraham, ADGP (Police Headquarters) and IGP Cyber Operations-in-charge S. Sreejith, ADGP (Law and Order) H. Venkitesh, and ADGP (AP Battalion) Dhinendra Kashyap attended the programme.

Representatives of leading educational institutions partnering in the multi-city hackathon and technology collaborators from different parts of India also participated online.

The Kerala Police have invited students, researchers, startups, cybersecurity professionals and technology enthusiasts nationwide to register and contribute innovative AI-powered solutions aimed at improving cyber investigations, strengthening digital policing and enhancing child protection in the digital age.