Nagpur: Cyber crime complaints dipped after Covid curbs eased

NAGPUR: Cyber crooks who had a free run during the lockdown in 2020 did not taste similar success in 2021 when citizens were not dependent solely on online medium and could access establishments and facilities as the restrictions eased.
Call it success of the cyber cell which stepped up its public awareness programmes and campaigns or the bitter experiences which made people more alert, complaints related to cyber crimes came down by 23% in 2021 as compared to 2020 when citizens were compelled to stay at home due to strict lockdown.
As per the global studies, lockdown compelled people to spend far more time on the internet and use online transactions frequently, which also led to rise in cyber crime offences.
As per statistics available from the cyber cell, there were 3,365 complaints in 2021 as compared to 4,234 in 2020. In 2018, there were 1,824 complaints which increased to 3,023 in 2019.
According to asst PI Keshav Wagh of Cyber cell, Nagpur city police, who worked under the supervision of addl CP Sunil Phulari and DCP Chetna Tidke, awareness camps were organized at 40 educational institutions, 19 offices of NGOs and others. There were 17 interactive sessions and two through broadcast medium. “Many webinars and seminars were held to create awareness regarding the latest modus operandi of cyber crooks, ways to remain safe and other social media behaviour and ethics,” said Wagh adding that citizens were returned more than Rs1.72 crores lost by them.
As per Wagh, cyber cell had managed to dispose as many as 1,431 complaints in 2021. In around 174 cases, complainants got their lost amounts retrieved and restored in the bank accounts, including two from abroad.
The cyber cell played key roles in several crucial cases of murder, kidnapping and other cases of forgeries. The cell successfully extracted mobile phone details in several sensitive cases including an elopement episode which had nearly led to communal disharmony but police prevented it by rescuing a girl.
In the murder case of senior citizen by her grandson, the cyber cell helped cops detect the case with the help of crucial data extractions from cellphones of the key accused.