Puducherry cyber police to get advanced equipment to speed up investigation

Puducherry Police enhancing Cyber wing with technology, training, and arrests to combat rising cybercrimes effectively.

With cybercrimes on the rise, the Puducherry Police Department has outlined measures to strengthen its Cyber wing by enhancing technological capabilities, inducting more men with engineering and science background and giving them proper training.

As many as 135 First Information Reports pertaining to various online frauds and financial crimes were registered in 2024 alone. The registration of FIRs led to the arrest of 37 persons and the recovery of ₹13. 5 crore from fraudsters in the year. So far this year, eight cases have been registered and 10 arrests were made by the Cyber wing, data with the police showed.

To deploy technology in cracking cases, the Police Department has planned to strengthen the Cyber Police Station by procuring modern investigation tools, including data extraction software and forensic devices.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Crime and Intelligence, Narra Chaitanya told The Hindu that along with the procurement of modern cyber investigation tools, the department has planned to enhance the skills of police. The cyber wing personnel are trained to handle Centre’s portals such as SAHYOG, Gandiva and Samanvay that aims to create a unified framework to combat cybercrime.

The department has made a formal request to Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, for training purpose. The department has also tied up with Rashtriya Raksha University in Puducherry for capacity building programmes for the force, he said.

Around 25 newly recruited constables having engineering and science background were recently inducted into cyber police and were given training through iGoT Karmayogi and CyTrain portals. We have also given training to cyber police team in cryptocurrency investigations, social media analytics and blockchain technology, he said.

“We are equipping our force, but people in general have to be very cautious in handling online financial matters, especially those offers with huge returns. The only way to avoid falling prey to cyber crimes is to practice ‘cyber hygiene and ‘cyber awareness.’ In this regard we are focusing on awareness in middle age group and senior citizens who have disposable income and are susceptible to become victims,” he said.