Despite a surge in cases of cyber crime every passing year, there seems to be little efforts from the police higher-ups to strengthen cyber crime police stations both in Hyderabad and Cyberabad. The cyber crime police stations exclusively deal with cases related to cyber offences like Nigerian lottery fraud, credit and debit card fraud and hacking of email, investment fraud and matrimonial cheating amongst others.
In Hyderabad, the cyber crime station was started in 2010 with two inspectors and subordinate staff. The strength was increased in 2013 to five Inspectors taking into account the drastic increase in the cases. A total of 479 cases were registered at the police station in 2013. However, in 2014, the number shot up by 37 per cent with 655 cases being registered.
This year, around 240 cases were registered till June 28. Officials expect the number to increase by year end. The situation is no better in Cyberabad last year, 256 cases were reported as against 109 in 2013 while there are just two Inspectors who investigate the cases with help of their subordinates.
Every inspector has to investigate between 100 and 150 cases every year, apart from the pending cases. Moreover, according to the Section 78 9f Information Technology Act 2000, cases registered under the act have to be investigated by an officer not below the rank of an Inspector. In view of the rule, the role of SIs in the cyber crime police stations is reduced to stenographer.
In most of the cheating offenders operate from different cities to ensure that they are not caught. “We have to travel to different cities and towns to nab the offenders. As a result we spend a lot time in travelling and cannot give adequate time for investigating of other cases,” an Inspector, said on condition of anonymity.
“Unofficially, we utilise their services to nab the offenders but in the end the investigating officer is pulled up for failure in solving the cases,” another Inspector said unwilling to be quoted.
Taking into account such problems, the police higher ups should increase the strength at the Cyber Crime police station to ensure speedy investigation.
Chain-snatchings pose a challenge
The recent death of a woman after falling off a two-wheeler during a chain-snatching incident on Osmania University campus came as a rude jolt to people. Chain snatchings are not unheard of in the city. All these days, chain snatchings meant loss of property or at the most, minor injuries to the victim.
However, the ‘murder’ of P. Sumalatha at the hands of a snatcher was quite shocking. More dreadful was the audacity of snatchers, who struck further even after police stepped up patrolling on city roads after her death. A couple of days after the incident, chain snatchers struck at five places in the commissionerates of Hyderabad and Cyberabad on a single day in gap of three hours.
Blue Colt teams riding on new bikes, patrolling teams moving in Innova vehicles and the interceptor vehicles with armed policemen inside could not stop the offenders. On one hand, the government wants to take safety and security of Hyderabad — fast emerging as metro — to next level with friendly policing, surveillance of every inch and swift reaction. But the ‘murder’ on OU campus road and subsequent unabated chain snatchings are raising new questions. The absence or non-functioning of cameras is not an issue only at the OU campus. The traffic surveillance camera at Andhra Bank in Koti and Narayanaguda, where snatchers struck later, too were found to be not working. The killer of Sumalatha hopefully would be caught sooner or later, but how to improve further the response time of police is the real challenge. Policemen at the field level are not ready to share any information about snatchings fearing “reprimand from bosses for failure to prevent them”. For them, these offences are better not disclosed. Apparently, not many are aware of the offences and fail to take precautions, falling prey to the snatchers.
ASIF YAR KHAN AND MARRI RAMU
