Assam Police Boost Cyber Security Measures in 2026

Assam Police Boost Cyber Security Measures in 2026

Assam Police has significantly strengthened its cyber-crime prevention and investigation capabilities in the first six weeks of 2026, reflecting both the sharp rise in digital offences across the state and the state government’s priority to make Assam a safer digital space. The Assam Police Cyber Crime Wing (APCCW), in coordination with the newly created State Cyber Security Operations Centre (SCSOC), has rolled out multiple new initiatives, expanded manpower, upgraded forensic infrastructure and deepened public–private cooperation. These measures have already produced visible results: cyber-crime complaints handled in January 2026 rose 38 % year-on-year while recovery of funds increased by 112 % compared with January 2025.

Surge in Cyber Crime in Assam – The 2025 Baseline

Assam recorded 14,872 cyber-crime complaints in calendar year 2025 (up 47 % from 2024), according to data compiled by the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) and the Assam Police Cyber Cell. Major offence categories included:

• Financial fraud through UPI / digital arrest / fake loan apps: 61 %
• Social-media sextortion & blackmail: 14 %
• Job fraud & fake investment schemes: 12 %
• Online impersonation & defacement: 8 %
• Ransomware & data theft: 5 %

Average loss per reported financial fraud case stood at ₹4.82 lakh, with total estimated loss exceeding ₹720 crore in 2025. The highest number of complaints came from Guwahati (38 %), followed by Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Silchar, Nagaon and Tezpur.

The sharp rise in complaints—particularly digital-arrest scams and deepfake-enabled sextortion—prompted Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to declare cyber security a “top governance priority” in his January 2026 Independence Day-eve address.

Key Initiatives Launched in January–February 2026

1. State Cyber Security Operations Centre (SCSOC) – Phase 1 Operational

Phase 1 of the SCSOC became fully operational on 15 January 2026 at the Assam Police Headquarters complex in Guwahati. The 24×7 centre is equipped with:

• Security Operations Centre (SOC) with SIEM, EDR, threat-intelligence feeds
• Digital Forensics Laboratory with mobile-device and computer forensic workstations
• Dark-web & social-media monitoring dashboard
• Dedicated 100 Mbps isolated internet link for malware analysis

Staffing: 42 personnel (28 cyber police + 14 technical analysts) in the first phase; planned expansion to 120 by end-2026.

2. District Cyber Police Units Strengthened

All 35 districts now have a dedicated Cyber Police Station or Cyber Cell with at least 4–6 personnel each. Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Silchar and Tezpur districts have upgraded to full-fledged Cyber Police Stations with 12–18 staff.

3. “Cyber Suraksha Assam” Public Awareness Campaign

Launched on 26 January 2026, the campaign includes:

• Daily 30-second audio-visual messages on Doordarshan Assam, Assam Talks, DY365 and other channels
• Weekly cyber-safety sessions in 1,200 schools & colleges
• “Cyber Dost” WhatsApp channel (launched 1 February) with 1.4 lakh subscribers in first four days
• Multilingual posters & pamphlets in Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Hindi and English

4. Rapid Response & Fund Recovery Mechanism

Assam Police partnered with 14 major banks operating in the state to create a “Golden Hour” fund-recovery protocol:

• Dedicated nodal officers in each bank
• 2-hour response SLA for freezing accounts linked to reported fraud
• Inter-bank coordination cell at SCSOC

In January 2026 alone, ₹14.8 crore was recovered from 1,820 complaints (average recovery ₹81,300 per case)—more than double the amount recovered in January 2025.

5. Capacity Building & International Cooperation

• 240 cyber police personnel trained in January 2026 (basic digital forensics, dark-web monitoring, cryptocurrency tracing)
• Collaboration with CERT-In, National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) Singapore
• First-ever Assam Cyber Drill “Cyber Shield 2026” conducted on 28–30 January with participation from 18 banks, 9 telecom operators and 4 critical infrastructure entities

Political & Administrative Backing

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the cyber-security ecosystem on 30 January 2026 and directed:

• ₹85 crore additional allocation in the 2026–27 budget for cyber infrastructure
• Creation of 320 new cyber-police posts in 2026–27
• Mandatory cyber-hygiene training for all government employees by June 2026
• One-day cyber-safety orientation for every school teacher in the state

DGP G.P. Singh has made personal monitoring of high-value fraud cases a daily priority.

Public Response & Early Results

• Cyber complaints portal (cybercrime.gov.in) registrations from Assam rose 41 % in January 2026 compared with December 2025
• “Cyber Dost” WhatsApp channel gained 1.4 lakh subscribers in four days
• 68 % of January fraud victims contacted police within 24 hours of the incident (up from 41 % in 2025), leading to higher recovery rates

Challenges Ahead

Despite the progress, several challenges remain:

• Low conviction rate in cyber cases (under 8 % nationally) due to delays in evidence collection and inter-state coordination
• Rapid evolution of fraud techniques (AI voice cloning, deepfake video calls, cryptocurrency mule networks)
• Limited awareness in rural areas (only 32 % of rural complainants use the national portal; most approach local police stations)

Conclusion

Assam Police’s 2026 cyber-security push marks one of the most comprehensive state-level responses to the growing digital-threat landscape in India. The combination of dedicated infrastructure (SCSOC), manpower expansion, rapid-response mechanisms, public-awareness campaigns and strong political backing has already produced measurable results—higher reporting, faster fund recovery and greater public trust.

As cyber-crime continues to grow in both volume and sophistication, Assam’s proactive measures could serve as a model for other states. The coming months will show whether the momentum can be sustained and whether conviction rates can catch up with improved detection and recovery.

For now, the message from Dispur is clear: Assam will no longer be seen as a soft target in the digital world.