Cybercrime training lab established at Kalaburagi Police Training Centre in Karnataka

Additional Director General of Police (Training) Alok Kumar said that cybercrime has evolved into a complex and organised criminal network operating across multiple countries. He noted that the nature of cyber offences has shifted far beyond simple online fraud.

Speaking to media persons in Kalaburagi on November 19, Mr. Alok Kumar said cybercrime today involves a layered structure where ‘foot soldiers operate from within India, middlemen work from different countries, while the top-level handlers often remain invisible or untraceable. He stressed that the international dimension of these crimes poses new challenges for law-enforcement agencies’.

To strengthen the capacity of personnel, a cyber lab has been established at the Kalaburagi Police Training Centre. Experts from the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), and the National Police Academy are providing hands-on training to trainees, the officer added.

Officials are being trained in cybercrime investigation, AI-related offences, AI-enabled investigation techniques, and updated modules on emerging technologies. “Recently the Ministry of Electronics and IT had issued Standard Operating Procedures to curb the dissemination of Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery (NCII) and notified the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules 2025 ; and we are also keeping pace with changing rules and laws, including the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act,” Mr Alok Kumar said. 

Mr Alok Kumar added that police trainees are also being equipped with knowledge on cloud computing, quantum technologies, and the use of drones, especially in the context of explosive attacks. Referring to the Delhi blast incident, he recalled the serial blasts reported at Bengaluru on July 25, 2008, and said that training on countering drone-based attacks will also be strengthened by the department.

He emphasised that police trainees undergo a rigorous year-long training programme designed to prepare them for emerging security challenges. Once they complete the training, they carry the responsibility of upholding the policing system with diligence and integrity for at least the next five years. During this period, trainees are expected to apply their skills effectively to detect, prevent, and investigate crimes without lapses, he cautioned.(eom)

(eom)