CYBER-CRIME TARGETING CHILDREN

Ministry of Home Affairs CYBER-CRIME TARGETING CHILDREN

Posted On: 29 JUL 2025 5:11PM by PIB Delhi The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the statistical data on crimes in its publication “Crime in India”. The latest published report is for the year 2022. As per the data published by the NCRB, details of crime head-wise cases registered under cyber crimes against children(below 18 years) during the period from 2018 to 2022 are at Annexure.

‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The States/UTs are primarily responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes including cyber crime and cyber crime against children through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs).

The Central Government supplements the initiatives of the States/UTs through advisories and financial assistance under various schemes for capacity building of their LEAs. The ‘Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre’ (I4C) has been established as an attached office on 01.07.2024.

The ‘National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal’ (NCRP) (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched, as a part of the I4C, to enable public to report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes, with special focus on cyber crimes against women and children. Cyber crime incidents reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action thereon are handled by the State/UT Law Enforcement Agencies concerned as per the provisions of the law. A toll-free Helpline number ‘1930’ has been operationalized to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.

The Central Government has taken various initiatives to create cyber crime awareness including among children in the North eastern States. Special awareness session was conducted through CBSE in online mode, which was also delivered to schools in North eastern States. Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) under MeitY also conducts similar sessions in north eastern states for awareness of children on digital safety. A special booklet in collaboration with ISEA is being designed by I4C on cyber hygiene, specially targeted at women and children, which will be delivered to North East States’ schools and district centres. I4C is also in touch with NCERT to include cyber hygiene chapter in course curriculum which will be taught in schools of North East States, as well. I4C, MHA has imparted Cyber Hygiene training to more than 2 lakh NCC, NSS & NYKS Students across the country. Besides, I4C has published Newspaper ads on cybercrime awareness in north eastern States in local languages as well. Awareness audio and video messages have been telecast through local FM and TV channels all across India, including the NE states. I4C has also collaborated with Department of Posts to publicize cyber awareness messages in post offices of North eastern rural and urban areas.

**** ANNEXURE Crime Heads-wise Cases Registered under Cyber Crimes against Children (below 18 Yrs.) during 2018-2022 SL Crime Heads 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 C y b e r 1 4 3 3 23 74 Blackmailing/Threatening/Harassment2 Fake Profile 3 2 1 9 2 Cyber Pornography/ Hosting or Publishing Obscene Sexual Materials 3 44 103 738 969 1171 depicting children 4 Cyber Stalking/Bullying 40 44 140 123 158 Internet Crimes through Online 5 0 1 0 0 2 Games etc 6 Other Crimes against Children 141 153 220 252 416 Total Cyber crimes against 232 306 1102 1376 1823 Children

Source: Crime in India This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. *** VV/RR/HS/PS/PR (Release ID: 2149788)