Karnataka Boosts Cybercrime Fight with 43 Special Police Stations

HM Parameshwara was speaking on Saturday after inaugurating the third annual Cyber Crime Investigation Summit titled 'CIDECODE', organised by the CID and the Cyber Crime Investigation Training and Research Centre at a private hotel in Bengaluru city.

HM Parameshwara said Karnataka is not just a state but a global brand. "When the world looks at Bengaluru, it sees the future of innovation. We have one of the best and most secure digital systems," he said.

He said the state government has taken strict measures to tackle cybercrime by establishing specialised cybercrime units equipped with the skills, training and technology required to investigate cyber attacks and collect digital evidence.

The government has set up 43 Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police stations across all districts and major cities in Karnataka. "Our government is committed to ensuring cyber safety for our citizens," HM Parameshwara said.

HM Parameshwara added that the government has created a favourable environment for a cyber security innovation ecosystem by collaborating with a diverse range of companies specialising in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, cyber security, cloud computing, cyber security compliance and risk management.

He said initiatives undertaken in partnership with the private sector and international organisations would help enhance digital security for citizens.

Dialogues and knowledge-sharing platforms like the summit would help address the rapidly-evolving cyber threat landscape, including issues such as dark web activities, cryptocurrency tracking, prevention of financial fraud and strengthening digital forensic laboratories.

HM Parameshwara said the establishment of the Cyber Crime Investigation Training and Research Centre (CCITR) in the state has significantly strengthened cybercrime investigation, enhanced research capabilities and helped equip police officers with advanced technical skills. Research publications and capacity-building initiatives emerging from the CCITR have made meaningful contributions to the cyber policing system, he added.

He said the CCITR has trained more than 62,000 people, including police officers and staff from Karnataka as well as members of various state and central agencies.

"Cybercrime is not confined to any geographical region. It is borderless, technology-driven and constantly evolving. From financial fraud and cryptocurrency-related crimes to dark web-based drug networks and data breaches, the scale of threats is increasing rapidly. These challenges must be addressed not only with technological capability but also by strengthening legal frameworks," he said.

Director General of Police M.A. Saleem, Cyber Command DGP Pranav Mohanty, Infosys Foundation Trustee Sunil Kumar Dhareshwar and Data Security Council of India CEO Vinayak Godse were present at the event.

- IANS