“Operation Prahaar” – A Pan-India Crackdown on Cyber Criminals

A Landmark Cyber Crime Operation by Uttarakhand Police Sends a Strong Message Nationwide

Uttarakhand becomes the first state police force in the country to launch a simultaneous multi-state cyber crackdown across India.
Coordinated operations by 23 specialized teams in 17 states, including Delhi-NCR, resulted in the identification and legal action against over 65 cybercriminals, and notices served at residences of 30 absconding accused.
Legal action taken against 7 cybercriminals lodged in jails, and bailable warrants executed against 6 others.
Operation “Prahaar” is still actively underway, with teams deployed across states — marking it as a sustained fight against cybercrime.

The Genesis and Execution

Under the strategic direction of Director General of Police Shri Deepam Seth, STF Uttarakhand was entrusted with a mission to curb cybercriminal networks operating across state lines. Acting swiftly on the directive, SSP STF Shri Navneet Singh assigned the Cyber Crime Police Stations of Garhwal and Kumaon divisions to lead the initiative.

The operation was meticulously planned by DySP Cyber Ankush Mishra, one of India’s leading cybersecurity name and national trainer, known for resolving high-profile cyber attacks and heading cybersecurity response teams across the country.

Led by Inspector Tribhuwan Rautela (Garhwal) and Inspector Arun Kumar (Kumaon), the STF Cyber Units deployed 23 expert teams, including trained Cyber Commandos (certified by I4C and premier institutions like IIT Kanpur and NFSU Delhi), to 17 states: Delhi-NCR, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Goa, and more.

Over a period of 42 days, coordinated action was taken with local police, cyber crime units, and technical agencies. The teams traced digital footprints—phone numbers, bank accounts, IP logs, and social media trails—leading to legal action against 52 accused, many of whom had been absconding for months. In addition, notices were served at the homes of 30 absconders, while 7 inmates lodged in jails were booked under fresh cybercrime cases and 6 bailable warrants were executed.

Key Achievements:

• Over 290 cybercriminals targeted across India

• 225 accused found using fake identities to open bank accounts and obtain mobile SIMs

• Cross-border coordination and real-time technical validation through Cyber Commando Units

• One accused found deceased during the course of verification

• A strong legal deterrent established for cybercriminals across the nation

Highlights of State-wise Action:

State	Team Leads	Key Offences	Action Taken
Telangana	Addl SI Gopal, Cons Prakash	OTP fraud, Fake call centres, Loan app scams	Action against 06 accused
Delhi-NCR	Addl SI Manoj, Addl SI Sunil Bhatt, Cons Mukesh	Online fraud, OTP fraud	Action against 44 accused
Karnataka	Addl SI Mukesh, Cons Sadab	Bitcoin scams, Tech support frauds	Action against 15 accused
Uttar Pradesh	SI Kuldeep Tamta, Addl SI Sumer, Cons Sudheesh, Cons Vikas	QR code, Digital loan frauds	Action against 33 accused
Tamil Nadu & Kerala	Addl SI Suresh, HC Sarvan	Digital payment frauds	Action against 34 accused
West Bengal	Addl SI Vinod Bisht, Cons Praveen	Bank frauds, Call centre scams	Action against 33 accused
Rajasthan	Cons Nitin, Cons Gaurav	Fake websites, QR scams	Action against 31 accused
Maharashtra & Goa	Cons Sohan, Cons Mahesh	Dating app fraud, financial scams	Action against 25 accused
Gujarat	HC Deepka, Cons Jitendar	Fake e-commerce sites	Action against 22 accused
HP, Punjab, Haryana	HC Pawan	Fake call centres, OTP fraud	Action against 23 accused
Madhya Pradesh	SI Raman Bisht, Cons Neeraj	Fake customer care scams	Action against 13 accused
Andhra Pradesh	SI Himmat, Cons Yogeshwar	Social media fraud, impersonation	Action against 12 accused

Challenges Faced During the Operation:

1. Language barriers: Regional languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, and Gurmukhi made communication challenging.

2. Geographical hurdles: Teams operated in remote, high-density urban areas with limited access.

3. Cultural adaptation: Dietary and cultural variations led to coordination delays in initial phases.

4. Fake identities: Use of forged documents and false addresses hampered verification.

5. Local resistance: Some accused enjoyed support from locals, requiring law enforcement to exercise additional caution.

Leadership & Vision

This unprecedented operation was possible due to the dynamic leadership of SSP STF Shri Navneet Singh, whose unwavering commitment to proactive policing enabled this first-of-its-kind initiative.
Equally vital was the strategic execution led by DySP Shri Ankush Mishra, whose nationally acclaimed expertise in cybercrime investigation and training played a central role in planning and operational coordination. His leadership ensured effective team deployment, digital intelligence analysis, and inter-agency synchronization.

Public Awareness Appeal

Uttarakhand STF appeals to the public to remain alert and report cybercrime immediately via:
📞 Helpline 1930
🌐 www.cybercrime.gov.in

Awareness is the best weapon against cybercrime. Stay cautious, stay informed.

This operation marks a decisive move against the cybercrime ecosystem in India. It also reinforces Uttarakhand Police’s role as a national leader in cyber enforcement and inter-agency coordination. Joint cyber operations of this scale shall continue to be undertaken to dismantle digital crime networks across the country.