Cyber help desks to be set up at all police stations in Kozhikode district

Following a State-level directive from the Department of Home Affairs, cyber help desks will be set up at all police stations in Kozhikode district to assist victims of cyber fraud, hear their complaints and facilitate immediate action.

The dedicated desks, staffed by trained officers, are intended to provide faster legal assistance and other services to people approaching police stations with cyber-related complaints. Three police personnel will be assigned to each help desk. Assistant Commissioners in charge of the cyber divisions in the respective police districts will supervise their functioning.

“Though cybercrime cases are registered at police stations, the workload related to other cases often makes it difficult for officers to hear complaints in detail and initiate prompt action. Help desks, planned as part of a State-wide project, will be a solution to this concern,” says a senior police officer attached to the Cyber Cell here. According to him, the help desks are being set up following recommendations from various cyber police stations.

The primary responsibility of the desks will be to function as independent wings in each police station, exclusively guiding victims in cybercrime cases. The initiative is aimed at making cybercrime-related assistance more accessible at the police station level and ensuring prompt intervention and follow-up. The designated personnel will also assist complainants in reporting incidents online and registering complaints, wherever required.

Based on the instructions from the State Police Chief’s office, the desks will help complainants obtain updates on the status of their cybercrime grievances. Cases requiring specialised investigation will be referred promptly to the cyber police station, cyber cell or departments concerned. Officers in charge of the help desks will also route major cybercrime cases to the hi-tech cell or special investigation teams for further action.

According to officers at the cyber police stations here, the help desk coordinators will receive special training to deal with different types of cybercrime and ensure better follow-up. They will also coordinate cybercrime awareness programmes within their respective police station limits.