Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a steady rise in cyber crime cases over the past five years, increasing from 73 in 2019 to 185 in 2023, according to data presented by the Union Home Ministry in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The trend reflects a nationwide spike, prompting the Centre to outline measures to strengthen digital policing and cyber forensics.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar noted that policing and public order fall under State jurisdiction, and many districts still lack dedicated cyber crime units, trained personnel, and forensic labs. J&K relies on Central support through specialized schemes and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.
Nationally, cyber crime cases rose from 44,735 in 2019 to 86,420 in 2023. To tackle the issue, the government has operationalized National Cyber Forensic Laboratories in Delhi and Assam, coordinated cyber policing through the State Connect and Thana Connect programs, and emphasized digital reporting platforms like the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Financial fraud mitigation has also been strengthened through the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre at I4C, leading to the blocking of over 11.14 lakh SIM cards and 2.96 lakh IMEI numbers. New technology tools, including the Sahyog portal and a national suspect registry, have enabled institutions to prevent suspicious transactions worth over Rs 8,031 crore.
Capacity-building initiatives such as CyTrain MOOCs and cyber forensic-cum-training labs across 33 States and UTs have trained thousands of police, judicial officers, and prosecutors, aiming to enhance cyber policing amid the rising threat of online crimes.