Mumbai: Alarmed about the rapid increase in the number of cybercrimes in Maharashtra, the state police has decided to open a separate cyber wing housed in an exclusive building in Mahape, Navi Mumbai. An existing building is being renovated extensively and will house the office of a hi-tech cyber cell, which will function as the headquarters of the Maharashtra cyber police.
The head office will coordinate the campaign against cybercrimes across the state. Expected to be made operational in August this year, it will have a dedicated helpline number on which citizens can lodge their complaints in real time. This will make it possible to freeze the bank accounts of the victims almost immediately upon receiving their complaints. The head office will also act against those misusing social media.
Dy CM personally supporting the project
Given the enormity of cybercrimes, the state government is evincing keen interest in the issue. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is in charge of the home ministry, is personally supporting the project with a view to drastically reduce the number of cybercrimes.
A Maharashtra cyber cell official told the Free Press Journal on Friday that the building will have a built-up area of one lakh square feet spread over five storeys. It will be manned by 150 cyber-trained police officers and 300 constables who will investigate only cybercrimes. They will not be burdened with routine crimes.
Ethical hackers to be included in team
Ethical hackers will also be included in the team. About 100 experts will be associated with the new headquarters as technical consultants to help in tracking down the fraudsters.
With unsuspecting citizens being gypped of crores of rupees every month, the police have decided to tackle the surging crimes in a coordinated manner, wherein information about the changing modus operandi adopted by cyber scamsters will be collated and shared with cyberpolice personnel.
Police personnel will also be trained to become more tech savvy so that they can counter the crimes effectively. The task of the police is made difficult as scamsters, many of whom operate from outside the state, use new modus operandi almost daily. The fraudsters flourish because naive people share their OTPs and other details only to find that their bank accounts have been wiped clean.
Under the Maharashtra cyber security project, those people who are victims of cyber fraud will be given immediate help. A cyber police official said that if someone defames any person on social media, then that person can complain about it by calling the Maharashtra cyber cell. As soon as the complaint is received, the cyber police will delete that post and can also block the account of the handler who posted the defamatory post.
Maharashtra cyber cell Inspector General Yashasvi Yadav told the Free Press Journal that “it will be our endeavour that the victims of cyber fraudsters get help as soon as possible”.
Location: Mahape, Navi Mumbai
Area 1 lakh square feet
-Spread over five storeys
-Manned by 150 cyber-trained police officers
-300 constables
-Ethical hackers also on the team
-100 experts will be associated as technical consultants
-Dedicated helpline number to lodge complaints
-Will make it possible to freeze bank accounts of victims upon receiving complaints
-Will also act against those misusing social media
