Report Cyber Frauds in the ‘Golden Hour’ to Recover Money, Says Gujarat DGP
Emphasising the urgency of swift action against cyber fraud, K L N Rao, Director General of Police, Gujarat, on Saturday said that victims must report cyber crimes within the critical “golden period” to enable the police to trace transactions and freeze stolen funds in time.
Rao was in Vadodara to attend the monthly crime conference of police units from the Vadodara and Panchmahal ranges.
During his visit, he also highlighted a growing and worrying dimension of cybercrime—screen addiction among youth, warning that young people are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals.
Cyber Crime Goes Beyond Financial Fraud
Addressing a cyber crime seminar at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda for police personnel attending the conference,
Rao said cybercrime is no longer limited to monetary scams. Criminals, he noted, are exploiting gaming platforms and mobile applications to target senior citizens, women and children.
Referring to the recent incident involving the alleged suicide of three young siblings in Ghaziabad, Rao said excessive screen exposure and digital addiction can have devastating consequences.
He pointed out that ccybercrimetakes 18 to 20 different forms, many of which prey on psychological vulnerabilities.
According to him, addiction to mobile phones, screen time and online content—often manipulated by cyber criminals—are interconnected issues that demand widespread public awareness.
Cyber Slavery and Cross-Border Crimes
Rao also drew attention to cases of “cyber slavery”, where agents lure unsuspecting youth with promises of overseas employment. Once abroad, victims are confined and coerced into committing cyber crimes.
He warned that such cases are expected to rise in the coming days.
“Digital arrests, intimidation of senior citizens and financial frfraudre increasing. Often cr, criminals succeed because complaints are not lodged within the golden hour on the helpline.
By the time victims realise what has happened, the window for effective recovery is gone,” Rao said. He added that in several instances, massive financial losses caused by cyber fraud have even led to suicides.
Jurisdictional and Banking Challenges
Highlighting investigative hurdles, Rao said cybercrimes are especially complex due to jurisdictional, procedural and legal complications.
“A crime may be committed in one country, money transferred to another, and the complaint registered elsewhere.
Coordination becomes extremely difficult,” he said, adding that cooperation from banks and nodal officers is inconsistent and often delays investigations.
Expanding Helplines to Boost Recovery
Speaking about steps taken by the Gujarat Police, Rao said the force plans to increase the number of 1930 cyber crime helplines from 90 to 180 in the near future. This, he said, could help recover 45–50 per cent of defrauded funds if complaints are made within the golden hour.
Focus on Narcotics, Policing Strength and Mental Health
On the same day, Rao inaugurated the zonal office of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in Vadodara, stating that public participation is key to cracking down on narcotics. “ANTF has been created to strengthen our fight against drugs, and the Vadodara zonal office will play a crucial role,” he said.
Rao also noted that the Gujarat police has recently completed recruitment of 10,000 personnel, with 1,000 Lok Rakshak Dal jawans being posted to Vadodara city.
Addressing recent suicides within the police force, he said stress-management training and counselling programmes have been initiated with the support of NGOs.
Vadodara Police Tops Emergency Response Time
A presentation by the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) at the crime conference revealed that Vadodara City Police has recorded the fastest response time in Gujarat for emergency calls received on the 112 helpline.
“Vadodara city has an average response time of 7.23 minutes, the best among all commissionerates and district units in the state, despite limited resources and a low number of PCR vans,” Commissioner of Police Narasimha Komar said, adding that the achievement was highly appreciated by the DGP.
Currently, Vadodara has 30 Jan Rakshak vans under its administrative control, while their operational control lies with the state emergency response centre.
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