While expressing concern over the spiralling cases of cyber crimes in the State, the State Director General of police Anil K Raturi has directed the district police chiefs to form cyber cells at their district headquarters.
He said that as per the statistics, ATM and bank fraud cases along with other forms of cyber crimes are happening in the State thick and fast through various social networking sites. Things are now really growing alarming as in the footsteps of the technological advancement, such crimes are occurring in increasing number, he said on Thursday.
The people increasingly engaging in internet banking and the like, they are being swindled of their hard-earned money through online banking frauds, he said, adding that the ATMs are vulnerable too with the cyber criminals using technology to spirit away money. “Such crimes now showing a spurt can only be taken on by police adequately if they are equipped with the requisite knowledge. The investigative officers must collect electronic evidences of such cases which lead to theirs being cracked,” he said.
DGP further said that infrastructures at the police stations are being enhanced and it is being equipped with advanced technologies. Cyber cells are being formed at the district levels and they would function like special operation groups (SOG) which are specialised in dealing with robbery, kidnapping, loot and others, he added.
State police spokesperson and Additional Director General of police (law and order) Ashok Kumar said that cyber cell would be set up at the office of SSP/SP in the districts. For this, an order has been released for the district chiefs.
In Haridwar, Derhadun and Udham Singh Nagar districts, one inspector, one sub-inspector, one head constable and two constables would be deputed at cyber cells while in the remaining mountainous districts and GRP, one sub-inspector and two constables would be deputed in the cyber cells, he informed.
He further said that the cyber cells at SSP/SP office would cover all the district police stations. “Cyber cells would provide technical support to the police stations concerned regarding the cases where the IT Act applies,” he said. The police officers and personnel who have passed C-Desk master training course and cyber course would be deputed at the cyber cells, he said.
The cyber cell would be monitored by deputy SP who is having knowledge of computer networking and cyber crimes, Kumar said, adding that the district police chiefs would review cyber cell reports on monthly basis. Cyber cell in-charge of the districts would be in contact with the cyber crime police stations or STF on regular basis to monitor things, he said.