Bihar plans 44 cyber police stations

Currently, there is no cyber police station in the state even it though seven are operational in neighbouring Jharkhand.

Dedicated cyber police stations will be opened in each of the 38 districts in Bihar, besides four railway districts and two police districts, to deal with the rising cybercrime in the state, a senior official of the home department said on Thursday.

The online portal of the ministry of home affairs has over 40,000 cybercrime complaints from Bihar alone, of which about 70% are related to bank fraud. (Picture for representation)

Bihar has four railway districts — Patna, Muzaffarpur, Katihar, Samastipur — and two police districts, Bagaha and Naugachhia.

Currently, there is no cyber police station in the state even it though seven are operational in neighbouring Jharkhand.

Instead, Bihar has set up 74 cyber crime and social media units (CCSMUs), with big districts having up to 3-4 units, which will be converted into cyber police stations to ensure easily accessibility and quick disposal of cases related to online fraud, said the official.

CCSMUs currently function under the Economic Offence Unit (EoU) of the Bihar Police. Though these units have no power to lodge an FIR (first information report), cybercrime cases can be lodged directly with the EOU police station in Patna.

According to the home department official, dedicated cyber police stations are likely to be announced by chief minister Nitish Kumar at a police department function on February 26 or in the assembly during the budget session starting from February 27.

To kick-start the process, the home department has already created 405 posts, including of a deputy inspector general (DIG), two superintendents of police (SPs), 16 deputy SPs, 226 inspectors and 44 constables.

“At present, local police stations are usually reluctant to take up cyber fraud cases and they are registered only if they are related to high-profile people or after the court order,” the official said.

The online portal of the ministry of home affairs has over 40,000 cybercrime complaints from Bihar alone, of which about 70% are related to bank fraud.

According to National Crime Record Bureau statistics, the number of cyber fraud cases in Bihar was 1,000 in 2019, 1,300 in 2020, 1,360 in 2021 and 2,400 in 2022.

Helpline revamped

Meanwhile, additional director general (ADG) of police N H Khan, who heads the EOU, told reporters on Thursday that in view of rise in cyber fraud cases, EOU is working on a dedicated helpline (No.1930), which ould be functional 24X7. “It has 178 police officers, including six inspectors, 15 sub-inspectors. The helpline number is revamped and would be inaugurated by chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday.

Talking to HT, Khan said EoU has identified six districts as hot spots for cybercrime — Nawada, Nalanda, Gaya, Sheikhpura, Jamui and Patna — which account for more than 70 per cent of cases related to banking fraud.

“Most of the fraud cases are registered in Nalanda. More steps are in the offing. Quick reporting holds the key in solving online fraud cases,” he said.