With cyber fraud cases rising rapidly, the West Bengal government has announced a major push to strengthen its cybercrime response by creating a dedicated cyber policing network across the state. The initiative aims to improve cyber investigations, speed up emergency response, and better protect citizens from online financial fraud.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said cybercrime has now “effectively taken on the form of an epidemic” and stressed the need for specialised cyber policing. He announced the launch of cyber help desks in every police station, along with a statewide cyber helpline to assist victims.
The Chief Minister said cyber fraud has increasingly targeted beneficiaries of social welfare schemes. “When those who are filling out forms for social welfare schemes and providing their account numbers are identified, money is disappearing from the accounts of those marginalized people,” he said.
To strengthen enforcement, the state will establish a separate cyber policing structure led by senior officers. “Just as there are officers at the ADG and IG levels in various departments, we are also going to assign such senior officers exclusively for cyber matters. He will set up cyber helplines and cyber police stations across the entire state in coordination with the Union Home Ministry.”
Adhikari also directed police officials to register every cybercrime complaint without delay. “If any complaint comes in, there is no need to hide it. Register it. File an FIR,” he said. He further stated, “We must not send even 1 figure less. If we can understand what kind of disease is more prevalent in our state, then only can we arrange the right treatment. If that disease is concealed, it will only spread further.”
The government has also instructed the police to introduce the 112 emergency response service. “I have told the DGP to introduce the 112 service in our state. In Gujarat, Maharashtra and UP, the police reach the spot in an average of 6 minutes. In Bengal, the average is 3 hours. We will provide more vehicles in the next Budget and aim to bring the response time down to 5 minutes within a year,” Adhikari said.
Additionally, the Chief Minister launched women help desks in 500 police stations and introduced the Durga Squad, a women-focused policing initiative, by distributing 213 motorcycles to women police personnel.
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