Last updated: December 25, 2022, 4:25 PM IST
‘Police ki Pathshala’ (police school) in Jharkhand. (Representative image)
The action, a joint initiative of the police and the district administration, is being carried out in 118 panchayats in libraries.
The Jamtara district of Jharkhand, notorious as the center of cybercrime in India, is trying to bridge this questionable distinction through a unique ‘Police ki Pathshala’ (Police’s School) campaign, which aims at providing quality education and creating awareness about phishing activities.
The drive, a joint initiative of the police and the district administration, is being conducted in libraries in 118 panchayats, officials said.
“Special attention has been paid to 35 libraries from two cybercrime-affected blocs: Karmatand and Narayanpur. The aim is to make the young people aware of phishing and get them involved in development activities,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (Cyber) Majrul Hoda told PTI.
The campaign also aims to prepare the youth for competitive exams through expert guidance, he said.
“The initiative started a year ago, but it really took off three to four months ago. We see a gradual decline (in cybercrime cases). Earlier, almost every day, police teams from other states visited the district in connection with phishing cases,” Hoda claimed.
He said an officer from each police station visits the libraries to teach the students.
“The university’s graduates are trained for competitive exams. The youth, who were previously lured into cybercrime activities, are now focusing on landing respectable jobs. We are also identifying more ways to make a living, such as agricultural employment,” Hoda said.
Many students, who were part of ‘Police ki Pathshala’, cracked competitive tests.
“The agents at the library helped me a lot in preparing for a railway exam and cracking it,” says Mahesh Munda, a resident of the district’s Nala block.
Deepak Singh, who hails from the same block, was recently selected for the Indian Reserve Battalion.
“The guidance from the library and the police helped me realize my dream,” he said.
Jamtara, located about 210 km from the capital Ranchi, had reported 76 cases of cybercrime and 187 fraudsters arrested in 2021. As many as 72 cases have been recorded till August this year and 97 people have been arrested in this regard, the police said. Rampant phishing in the neighborhood was also the subject of a recent web series.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed)