A nationwide crackdown on cybercriminals known as "Operation Prahaar"

Uttarakhand Police's Historic Cybercrime Operation Sends a Powerful Message Across the Nation

1 The nation's first state police agency to simultaneously conduct a multi-state cyber crackdown throughout India is Uttarakhand.

2 Over 65 cybercriminals were identified and prosecuted as a consequence of coordinated operations by 23 specialized teams throughout 17 states, including Delhi-NCR. Additionally, notifications were served at the homes of 30 accused absconders.

3 Seven cybercriminals have been charged with crimes and placed in jail, while six more have had bailable warrants issued against them.

4 As a persistent battle against cybercrime, Operation "Prahaar" is still in progress, with personnel stationed throughout several states.

The Origin and Performance

STF Uttarakhand was given the task of stopping cross-state cybercrime networks under the strategic leadership of Director General of Police Shri Deepam Seth.  In response to the direction, SSP STF Shri Navneet Singh promptly designated the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions' Cyber Crime Police Stations to spearhead the effort.

 One of India's top cybersecurity figures and national trainers, DySP Cyber Ankush Mishra, who has led cybersecurity response teams throughout the nation and resolved high-profile cyberattacks, painstakingly organized the operation.

In 17 states, including Delhi-NCR, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Goa, and more, the STF Cyber Units sent out 23 expert teams, led by Inspector Tribhuwan Rautela (Garhwal) and Inspector Arun Kumar (Kumaon). These teams included trained Cyber Commandos, certified by the I4C and prestigious institutions like IIT Kanpur and NFSU Delhi.

Coordination between local police, cybercrime departments, and technical agencies was done during a 42-day period.  52 defendants, many of whom had been evading capture for months, were charged after the teams tracked down digital footprints, including phone numbers, bank accounts, IP logs, and social media trails.  Additionally, 30 absconders received warnings at their residences, seven jail inmates were booked under new cybercrime cases, and six bailable warrants were executed.

Principal Accomplishments:

 • More than 290 cybercriminals were targeted in India.

 • 225 defendants were discovered to have opened bank accounts and acquired mobile SIMs under false pretenses.

 • Cyber Commando Units provide real-time technological validation and cross-border coordination.

 • During the verification process, one accused person was discovered dead.

 • The establishment of a robust legal deterrence for cybercriminals nationwide

Obstacles encountered throughout the operation:

 1. Language barriers: Communication was difficult due to regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, and Gurmukhi.

 2. Geographical challenges: Teams worked in hard-to-reach, densely populated urban regions.

 3. Cultural adaptation: In the early stages, coordination was delayed due to dietary and cultural differences.

 4. False identities: Verification was impeded by the use of fake documents and addresses.

 5. Local opposition: Law enforcement had to be extra cautious because some of the accused had the backing of the community.

Vision and Leadership

 Because of SSP STF Shri Navneet Singh's strong leadership and unrelenting dedication to proactive policing, this first-of-its-kind operation was made possible.
 The strategic execution under the leadership of DySP Shri Ankush Mishra, whose nationally recognized proficiency in cybercrime investigation and training was crucial to planning and operational coordination, was equally important.  Under his direction, interagency coordination, digital intelligence analysis, and efficient team deployment were all made possible.

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