Local cops take on cyber crooks

Hyderabad: As cyber crooks get personal, impersonating your friends and neighbours and even you, cops are also changing tactics to make the fight against cybercrime faster and more effective. The Hyderabad City Police, as part of its battle against the increasing menace of cybercrime, have gone local, with the initiative to have cyber warriors at […]

Hyderabad: As cyber crooks get personal, impersonating your friends and neighbours and even you, cops are also changing tactics to make the fight against cybercrime faster and more effective. The Hyderabad City Police, as part of its battle against the increasing menace of cybercrime, have gone local, with the initiative to have cyber warriors at every police station paying dividends.

With the local police accepting complaints related to cybercrime and trained cyber warriors at each station, investigation is being initiated without much delay.

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Two police constables from each local police station were trained in cybercrime investigation by experts from the Hyderabad City Police and the State Crime Investigation Department. The policemen were designated as cyber warriors with their role including assisting the local police investigation officer to probe complaints pertaining to cybercrime reported in their jurisdiction.

For lodging a complaint pertaining to Indian Penal Code sections and regular IT Act violations, unless grave in nature, the case is booked and investigation is done at the police station level now.

“Otherwise, the local police seek help from the cybercrime police stations to investigate the case or ask the victim to approach the cybercrime police station. With expertise available at the local police station, most of the investigation is taken up promptly avoiding delays,” a senior official from the Hyderabad Cybercrime Police Station said.

In certain cases, local cyber warriors are getting in touch with the cybercrime police stations and seeking help to remove controversial posts on social media to prevent law and order and communal flare-ups.

“In case of financial frauds, the cyber warriors immediately contact the banks and block the cards or accounts to prevent further transfer of funds and take up investigation to track down the fraudsters,” the official said.

The initiative, which began with City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar’s announcement last year that local police stations would accept cybercrime complaints, is also helping to increase awareness among the public on new age crimes as cyber fraudsters are getting more active and in multiple ways, targeting gullible people, many of whom are not that well-versed with the hidden dangers of the cyber world.

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