Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed the police to take stringent action against individuals who target women on the internet. Launching the state-level awareness campaign on cybersecurity, Majhi announced that his government plans to establish 20 new cyber police stations across the state.
"It is a matter of serious concern that women and girls are falling prey to blackmail and mental harassment on the internet. I direct the Odisha Police to take strict action against those who are behind this. If strict and prompt action is not taken in such cases, action will be taken against the police officers concerned," the Chief Minister stated.
Odisha registered 761 cybercrime cases against women in 2023, as per the recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, which include violations such as posting of sexually explicit pictures, extortion, defamation, and so on. This number is up from the state's 542 such cases in 2022.
Majhi commented that cybercrime has emerged as a significant challenge for security agencies nationwide, and stressed that public awareness is the most potent weapon to tackle it. He confirmed that awareness campaigns will be conducted in all districts following the programme on Saturday.
The Chief Minister noted that around 82 crore people in the country, roughly 55 per cent of the population, now use the internet, making it indispensable. He highlighted that thousands of complaints lodged through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and helpline 1930 have been addressed in a timely manner.
"Nearly, twenty cyber police stations will soon be operational in the state. Along with this, steps have also been taken to modernise the existing 14 cyber police stations," he announced. He added that 1,127 police personnel and 170 technical experts will be appointed for this purpose. Furthermore, a state-level command centre will be established under the Crime Branch to handle cybercrime cases. Majhi subsequently flagged off 16 vehicles, which will tour the districts to raise public awareness about cybercrimes.
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