Cybercrime Crisis: MP Cell Faces Massive Backlog

Amid the escalating threat of cyber crimes, the state cyber cell is grappling with a severe staff shortage, leading to a worrying backlog of unresolved cases. According to data from the state cyber cell, over 3 lakh complaints are currently pending, and this figure is increasing each month.

Senior officials revealed that only 230 police personnel across the state are adequately trained to handle the complexities of cyber crime investigations. This year alone, the cyber cell has received 38,000 new cyber crime complaints, a significant jump compared to the 5,000-6,000 annual complaints recorded until 2021. The exponential rise in cyber crime cases has overwhelmed the understaffed cyber crime unit.

Due to the limited personnel, many of the 230 cyber-trained officers are engaged in investigating older cases and are occasionally pulled into law and order duties, further slowing the pace of cyber crime investigations. The resource crunch has led to delays in resolving critical cases, contributing to the backlog.

The surge in cyber crime incidents and the inadequate manpower to address them highlights the urgent need for bolstering the state cyber cell’s capacity to manage the growing cyber threats more effectively.

The initiative to establish dedicated cyber police stations across all 55 districts of Madhya Pradesh, introduced nearly a year-and-a-half ago, remains in limbo due to funding shortages. As per the source, there is lack of financial resources has stalled progress, leaving the state's ability to address cyber crimes severely hampered.

Moreover, existing cyber cells in certain districts refuse to accept complaints involving fraud amounts exceeding Rs 2 lakh, forcing victims of large-scale cyber fraud to travel to Bhopal to file complaints at the central state cyber cell. This adds to the burden for victims who have already suffered significant financial losses.

Yogesh Deshmukh, Additional Director General of Police (State Cyber Cell), mentioned that training efforts to equip all police personnel in the state with the necessary skills to tackle cyber crimes began a year ago and are still ongoing. He added that the situation may improve once the training is completed, potentially providing some relief in the battle against the growing menace of cyber crime in the state.

The delay in implementing dedicated cyber police stations and the current refusal of district-level cyber cells to handle high-value fraud cases have further highlighted the state's challenges in combating the rising tide of cybercrime effectively.