Hyderabad: The Union Home Ministry has introduced a new system for district Superintendents of Police (SPs) to block SIM cards of individuals involved in cyber crimes quickly. This system will also allow police stations nationwide to receive suspects’ locations and their banking and telecom information instantly.
Due to the rise in cyber frauds, the Ministry plans to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign in villages throughout the country.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has tasked Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar with selecting Telangana as the starting point for this initiative. A seminar will soon take place in Telangana to discuss this topic.
Bandi Sanjay Kumar conducted a review meeting in the national capital on Monday with senior officials from the Home Ministry. They discussed the Coordination Platform and the Cyber Commando Program under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C). Officials highlighted that the Coordination Platform will enhance cooperation between state police departments. The Pratibimb Module will enable immediate sharing of cyber crime suspects’ locations, banking, and telecom details with all police stations.
Another feature, the Cyber Crime Interstate Assistance Request Module, allows police stations to request assistance from others in cyber crime cases. Facilities for SPs to block SIM cards and electronic devices used in crimes are also being set up. The banking module will help investigators quickly access bank CCTV footage and statements. Additionally, special techno-legal support services are provided to help officers with complex cases and investigations.
Regarding the Cyber Commando Program, officials stated it aims to train a skilled team of police officers. The first batch, consisting of 407 commandos, has completed training at NFSU, IITs, IIITs, DIAT, and RRU and is now working in various departments. A new batch will begin training later this year.
Bandi Sanjay Kumar praised I4C for its work and emphasized the importance of services benefiting the public. He announced that under Amit Shah’s guidance, Telangana will hold a pilot seminar. Ten personnel from each of the 33 districts, ranging from Home Guard to SP, will attend a day-long session on cyber frauds conducted by experts. These trained officers will then involve teachers, lawyers, engineers, doctors, journalists, and professors in further seminars, spreading awareness programs to villages across the state.
