The central government has taken a firm stand on cyber crimes involving women and children, directing all states and Union Territories to ensure that anonymous complaints are not dismissed solely on the grounds of “unidentified victims.” The Ministry of Home Affairs has made it clear that action in such cases is mandatory, especially when complaints involve child sexual abuse material (CSAM), online pornography, or sexual exploitation.
Directive Targets Anonymous Complaint Closures
The directive follows a review which revealed that several state agencies were closing complaints registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) without proper investigation. In many cases, the justification cited was the inability to identify the complainant or victim, leading to inaction on serious digital offences. The Centre has termed this trend a matter of serious concern and ordered immediate corrective measures.
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According to the Ministry, the nature of cyber crime is rapidly evolving, with a sharp rise in offences targeting women and children. In such a scenario, lack of identity cannot be treated as a barrier to action. Authorities have been instructed that if a complaint contains references to objectionable content, sexual exploitation, or any form of illegal online activity, agencies must prioritise content removal and initiate an investigation without delay.
Surge in Cyber Crimes Against Vulnerable Groups
Data presented in Parliament highlights a significant surge in cyber crime cases over the past few years. Complaints related to child pornography or CSAM increased nearly fivefold, rising from 2,109 in 2021 to 10,431 in 2025. Cases involving fake or impersonation profiles also saw a sharp rise, jumping from 15,843 to 46,784 during the same period. Similarly, incidents of cyber bullying, stalking and sexting grew substantially, increasing from 21,589 to 45,832.
However, cases of profile hacking and identity theft showed a slight decline. After reaching a peak of 38,297 in 2024, such cases dropped to 34,533 in 2025. Despite this marginal decrease, experts caution that the overall cyber threat landscape remains serious and requires a more proactive and sensitive enforcement mechanism.
NCRP’s Role in Anonymous Reporting
The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal was specifically designed to enable citizens—especially women and children—to report offences without fear or social pressure. The platform allows anonymous reporting in cases involving sensitive crimes such as child sexual abuse or rape, ensuring that victims or witnesses who are hesitant to reveal their identity can still come forward.
Sources indicated that in several instances, despite detailed inputs in anonymous complaints, authorities failed to act on the reported content or trace its origin, and instead chose to close the cases prematurely. This not only allowed offenders to escape accountability but also enabled harmful content to remain accessible online for extended periods.
The Centre has now clarified that such negligence will not be tolerated. States have been directed to treat all complaints seriously, regardless of whether the complainant’s identity is known, and to utilise technical tools and digital forensics to identify the source of the content and take appropriate legal action.
Experts believe this move could play a crucial role in strengthening the fight against cyber crimes. They point out that timely action on anonymous complaints will boost public confidence in the system and encourage more victims and witnesses to report offences without fear.
With these directions in place, the onus now lies on state authorities to ensure effective implementation on the ground. The coming months will be critical in determining whether these measures translate into tangible outcomes and lead to a meaningful reduction in cyber crimes, particularly those targeting vulnerable sections of society.
