Govt plans to train all cops in cybe crime probe | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Ahead of govt’s ambitious plan to set up a cyber command centre in Bhubaneswar, the Odisha police on Monday said it will provide comprehensive cyber crime investigation training to personnel across all ranks, from constables to deputy superintendents of police (DSPs).Director general of police Y B Khurania, while launching a training programme, emphasised that cyber crime investigation is a “rank-neutral task” and declared it as a key focus area for the state police. On Dec 16 last year, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that a specialised wing (cyber command centre) within Odisha police will be set up to oversee cybercrime investigations statewide.“Cyber crime probe is rank-neutral. In today’s digital age, every police officer needs to be equipped with cyber investigation skills, regardless of their rank. We will expand such training sessions to police districts and ranges,” Khurania said.The initiative comes amid rising cyber crime incidents in the state. Over the past 10 years, Odisha has witnessed an exponential surge in cyber crime incidents. Police records indicate a staggering 1917% increase, with cyber cases escalating from a mere 124 in 2014 to a worrying 2,501 in 2024.The financial impact of cybercrime too has risen significantly in the last six years. While fraudsters swindled victims of Rs 8.97 crore in 2018, the monetary losses escalated substantially to Rs 154.5 crore in 2024, recording an alarming growth of 1,622%.The training programme will cover various aspects of digital forensics, online fraud investigation, and handling of electronic evidence. “This comprehensive training approach will ensure that we have a more responsive and capable force to tackle cyber crimes effectively,” Khurania said.The department plans to collaborate with cyber security experts and specialised agencies to conduct the training sessions.Last month, the state govt sanctioned 987 new posts in various ranks for 20 proposed cyber crime police stations in the state. Govt also decided to strengthen the existing 14 cyber police stations in the state to overcome the rising menace of cyber crimes and economic offences.The existing 14 cyber stations will maintain their current structure with two cyber forensic experts, two IT specialists and two finance analysts each. The 20 new facilities will operate with four specialists per station: two IT professionals, one cyber forensic expert and one finance analyst.
