Sajjanar calls for public participation to curb cybercrime

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar on Friday called on citizens to actively participate in spreading awareness about cybercrimes in order to prevent people from falling victim to online fraud.

Speaking at an orientation programme for ‘Cyber Simba’ volunteers held at the TGICCC auditorium in Banjara Hills, the Commissioner said public participation was essential to curb cybercrime and protect people from fraudulent schemes operated by cybercriminals. The ‘Cyber Simba’ volunteer initiative was launched as part of the ‘Jagrut Hyderabad Surakshit Hyderabad’ campaign aimed at promoting cyber safety. Officials said the programme encourages volunteers to spread awareness in their communities about cyber frauds and preventive measures.

The Commissioner said 1,717 volunteers had registered for the programme since its launch in November last year and that awareness activities carried out through 5,118 door to door outreach programmes had reached about two lakh people. He urged people to use social media and messaging platforms to circulate cyber safety awareness instead of limiting them to routine greetings.

The Commissioner said the first hour after a cybercrime was crucial and described it as the “golden hour”, urging victims to report incidents immediately through the 1930 helpline to improve the chances of recovering lost money. He also said the ‘C Mitra’ service had been introduced to allow victims to lodge complaints from home without visiting a police station. According to officials, the number of daily complaints had reduced from about 80 to 60 following increased awareness efforts.