The city has witnessed a slight 25% dip in cybercrime cases reported — with cases dropping from 36 to 27 between 2020 to 2021, as per the National Crime Record Bureau’s (NCRB) latest data.
The drop was in line with a downward trend being recorded in such crimes in the last three years. In 2019, the city had reported a state-high of 37 cybercrime cases.
In the 2021 figures, Ludhiana ranked fifth in the state, behind Amritsar police commissionerate — which had the maximum 92 cases, followed by Jalandhar rural police’s 47 and Jalandhar police commissionerate’s 40 cases.
The data showed a dynamic graph when it came to the nature of the crime. Of the total 27 cases of cybercrime, a maximum of 33% directly involved financial fraud, followed by 29% were crimes involving sexual abuse.
In a case following under the latter category, a swindler on December 19, 2021, was booked for sexually harassing and stalking a city-based woman while posing as an NRI. The accused sent her and her friends objectionable messages using his fake Instagram profile and an FIR was registered following a prolonged eight-month investigation.
In three cases the police found a political motive behind cybercrime, where the accused were looking to malign rivals’ image. In two cases, meanwhile, swindlers tried to extort money from the victims as well.
{{/usCountry}}In three cases the police found a political motive behind cybercrime, where the accused were looking to malign rivals’ image. In two cases, meanwhile, swindlers tried to extort money from the victims as well.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, Ludhiana police have a dedicated cybercrime unit — the cyber cell, which since its inception has managed to track down and retrieve ₹40 lakh and return the amount to the complainants.
Speaking of the same, police officials, said cyber criminals, since the Covid-19-induced lockdown have developed specific tactics to target internet’s growing user base.