Every technological advancement has negative impacts as well. Where on one hand India is going rapidly digital, on the other hand, there is a rise in cybercrimes. The country recorded 50,035 cases of cybercrime in 2020, with 11.8 per cent of surge in such offences over the previous years.
Taking a big step amid rapid increase in cybercrime in the state, Delhi police has set up dedicated cybercrime police stations in 15 districts of New Delhi to deal with such cases effectively.
In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, DCP New Delhi district, IPS Deepak Yadav talked about the roles of the cybercrime police stations in each district of the country’s capital.
NEED FOR CYBER POLICE STATION
Earlier every district in Delhi had a mechanism where cyber cells were present. However, they were particularly present there to assist the investigating officers working in cybercrime cases.
“The officers couldn’t register the FIR independently. Over a period of time, it was seen that number of cybercrime cases has increased significantly in the state. So, keeping in view the seriousness of the matter, an institutional mechanism was needed to fight the menace of cybercrime in a focused and professional manner,” explained DCP Deepak Yadav.
Accordingly, cybercrime police stations were set up in the districts of Central, North, Northwest, Shahdara, Rohini, New Delhi, Dwarka, Kamla Market, Maurice Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Shahdara, Budh Vihar, Mandir Marg, Dwarka North and Samaypur Badli/Bawana.
The officer informed that in his district, New Delhi, they have started the dedicated cyber police station at Mandir Marg police station.
HELPLINE NUMBER AND WEBSITE
Victims of cybercrime or any cyber fraud can simply dial the hotline number 155260 for reporting of cybercrime or can register their complaint on the cybercrime online website cybercrime.gov.in.
“The other normal reporting mechanisms are also available, like a call to police station on 112 or one can submit an application or send an email. We accept complaints on various notes. The official website of Delhi Police has all the links and numbers on it,” informed DCP Yadav.
ROLE OF CYBER POLICE STATIONS
The job of these cyber police stations would be to investigate any cybercrime reported in the jurisdiction of the district.
“If any complaint has been reported, then they will enquire into it and register accordingly. Secondly, they will act as the nodal point for training of other officers in the district. These police stations will tie up with Integrated Fusion and Strategic Operation (IFSO), which is a unit of Delhi Police. Here they will learn about the latest technology and recent modest operandi of cybercrime,” DCP Yadav said.
Apart from this, the cybercrime police station with also coordinate and conduct regular cyber awareness campaigns among school children and other vulnerable groups.
INFRASTRUCTURE
DCP Deepak Yadav informed that they are providing these police stations some necessary basic infrastructure, like advanced workstations, internet connection, etc.
“There are a couple of cyber forensic devices which have been provided to them so that they can take a mirror image of the electronic devices and get the basic information required for investigation purpose,” he said.
