On a tense cricket day between India and Pakistan, hackers briefly took control of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s official X account, streaming images of Pakistani and Turkish flags before cybercrime authorities restored access. The breach, though contained within an hour, has raised sharp concerns about the vulnerability of political leaders’ digital presence in India.
A Breach on a High-Visibility Day
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) was hacked on Sunday, September 21, 2025. According to officials, the attackers uploaded images of the national flags of Pakistan and Turkey. The timing was striking: the hack coincided with India and Pakistan preparing to face off in their second Asia Cup cricket match, a moment of heightened public attention across the country.
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Authorities confirmed that hackers went beyond a single post, streaming images live from the compromised account, amplifying visibility. The intrusion immediately drew attention from users, sparking debate over how India’s top political leaders secure their digital platforms.
Cybercrime Response and Account Recovery
Officials close to the matter said the breach was detected quickly, and the cybercrime police were immediately alerted. A specialized team managing the Deputy CM’s social media worked alongside law enforcement to contain the spread of unauthorized content.
“It took around 30 to 45 minutes to set the account in order,” an official stated. By then, most of the objectionable content had been removed and the handle was restored. The investigation is now focused on tracing the source of the attack and determining whether it originated from domestic or foreign entities.
Concerns Over Political Cybersecurity
The hacking incident adds to growing worries about the digital safety of politicians and state officials in India. While Shinde’s account was swiftly recovered, cybersecurity experts warn that such breaches can have larger geopolitical implications, especially when foreign symbols are used to provoke sentiment.
Officials emphasized that additional security layers will be implemented for the Deputy CM’s digital communication channels. However, the episode underscores a broader national vulnerability: as political discourse increasingly unfolds online, the stakes of safeguarding those platforms continue to rise.
