3.17 lakhs cyber crimes in India in just 18 months, says govt

A total of 3,17,439 cyber crimes and 5,771 FIRs were registered online through a centralised portal in the last 18 months -- a sizeable number of them in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the Ministry of Home Affairs operationalised the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on August 30, 2019 to provide a centralised mechanism to the citizens for online reporting of all types of cyber crime incidents, with a special focus on cyber crimes against women and children.

"As per the data maintained, since its inception 3,17,439 cyber crime incidents and 5,771 FIRs have been registered up to February 28, 2021 in the country which includes, 21,562 cyber crime incidents and 87 FIRs in Karnataka and 50,806 cyber crime incidents and 534 FIRs in Maharashtra," he said in a written reply to a question.

The minister said incidents reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action thereon are handled by the state and Union Territory law enforcement agency concerned as per the provisions of the law.

The MHA holds regular interactions with the state and UTs and advises them to expedite the disposal of cyber crime incidents reported with special emphasis on those relating to women and children, he said.