Gujarat Police launch month-long cyber safety campaign to protect women, children online
Gandhinagar, July 2
Gujarat Police have launched a 28-day statewide campaign, 'Operation Surakshit Cyberspace', aimed at strengthening the safety of women and children in the digital space through technology-driven policing, cyber awareness, victim outreach and coordinated enforcement, officials said on Thursday.
The campaign, which began on July 1 and will continue until July 28, seeks to create a safer online environment by combining intelligence-led policing with community engagement and preventive measures.
According to Gujarat Police, the initiative is intended to ensure women and children feel as secure online as they do in public spaces while reducing the risk of cybercrime through early intervention and timely police action.
Speaking about the initiative, Ajay Choudhary, Additional Director General of Police, CID Crime (Women Cell), said the campaign focuses on strengthening public safety in the digital ecosystem for groups that are increasingly vulnerable to cyber offences.
"The objective of this operation is to strengthen public safety in the digital ecosystem, especially for women and children, who are increasingly becoming victims of online exploitation, cyberstalking, financial fraud, identity theft and other cyber-related crimes. Being conducted under the guidance of DGP G.S. Malik, the campaign aims to proactively identify potential victims, prevent financial losses, improve cyber awareness and ensure timely police intervention through coordinated action at every level," Choudhary said.
As part of the campaign, police personnel across the state have been tasked with identifying potential victims, verifying cybercrime alerts, counselling those at risk, facilitating immediate reporting through the National Cyber Helpline, and ensuring prompt registration and investigation of offences.
The initiative also places emphasis on field-level verification, victim outreach and the use of cyber intelligence and analytical tools to detect threats and prevent offences before they escalate.
Gujarat Police will work with banks, telecom service providers, educational institutions, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community leaders to expand cyber awareness and strengthen preventive measures.
The campaign includes clearly defined responsibilities, monitoring mechanisms and performance indicators for field officers, with prevention, early intervention and rapid response forming its central approach.
Implementation at the local level will be led by SHE Teams and dedicated cybercrime police stations through awareness programmes, community outreach and targeted interventions.
These activities are intended to help women, children, parents, students and educational institutions recognise online threats and adopt safer digital practices.
The campaign has adopted the slogan, "Safety through awareness, investigation through technology, action through law, and a safer Gujarat through public participation".
Among its statewide targets, Gujarat Police aim to educate 25 lakh citizens on cyber safety and responsible digital behaviour, encourage 20 lakh students to take the Cyber Safety Pledge, organise cyber awareness programmes in 10,000 schools and 1,500 colleges, and reach one lakh adolescent girls with awareness sessions on cyberstalking, online harassment, digital privacy and safe Internet use.
The campaign also plans to conduct 5,000 parental awareness sessions to help families protect children from online risks and has committed to ensuring preliminary police action within 24 hours on every cyber complaint involving women and children.
According to the Gujarat Police, the initiative is designed to build a safer, more inclusive and trustworthy digital ecosystem by combining intelligence, technology, public participation and proactive policing while promoting responsible digital behaviour and strengthening public confidence in law enforcement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see focus on 'SHE Teams' and actually reaching out to adolescent girls with awareness sessions on cyberstalking and online harassment. This is exactly what our daughters and sisters need - practical safety education, not just theoretical stuff. Hope the 24-hour response promise is genuinely kept.
As someone working in tech, I appreciate the emphasis on "technology-driven policing" and "analytical tools." Cyber crime requires modern solutions and collaboration with banks and telecom providers is smart. Let's hope this reduces the number of financial frauds targeting women and children.
Nice idea but will it actually work on ground? We have seen many such campaigns start with great fanfare but fizzle out. My concern is proper training of the police personnel - they need to understand cyber crimes themselves before educating others. Also, hope they focus on rural women and children too, not just cities.
This is so important! My niece was almost a victim of online grooming last year and we had no idea where to even report. Having dedicated SHE Teams and cyber cells that respond within 24 hours gives me hope. The parent awareness sessions are crucial too - we need to teach our children about digital privacy from young age.
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