Rajasthan Police block 1.37 lakh suspicious SIMs in Alwar in crackdown on cyber crime

Jaipur, Jul 18 (PTI) Rajasthan Police have blocked a record 1.37 lakh suspicious mobile SIM cards in Alwar district as part of an intensified crackdown on cyber crime, helping significantly reduce cyber fraud hotspots in one of the state's most vulnerable regions, officials said on Saturday. Superintendent of Police Sudhir Chaudhary said a dedicated cyber wing -- Anti Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (A4C) -- has been established in the district to strengthen institutional coordination and monitoring, with the initiative already yielding positive results. Using technical and financial intelligence, police targeted suspicious SIM cards and mobile devices, key tools used by cyber criminals. "Through action on the 'Pratibimb' portal, Alwar Police have so far got a record 1,37,522 suspicious SIM cards and 53,536 mobile IMEI numbers blocked," Chaudhary said, adding that the district has ranked first in the country in blocking such SIM cards. He said sustained police action has led to a sharp decline in cyber fraud hotspots, with their number dropping from 1,240 in January 2026 to 689 in June 2026. Following the success of the earlier 'Cyber Sangram' and 'Cyber Sangram 2.0' campaigns, police have now launched 'Cyber Sangram 3.0', under which personnel are being trained in digital forensics to strengthen investigations and tackle cyber crime more effectively. Police have also intensified action against fake bank accounts used to route fraud proceeds through a special drive named 'Mule Hunter Operation'. During April and May 2026, Alwar Police registered 107 FIRs under the drive — the highest in Rajasthan. In 2025, police identified 7,748 mule accounts and jailed 76 accused. By June 2026, another 7,579 mule accounts had been identified, 107 cases registered and more than 92 account holders arrested, Chaudhary said. He said the crackdown follows directions from Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, who, during a recent high-level meeting, ordered strict action against cyber criminals operating in Alwar and Deeg districts. Under the leadership of Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar Sharma and the supervision of Additional Director General (Cyber Crime) V.K. Singh, police in both districts have launched an intensive mega operation to curb cyber crime, he added. PTI AG NB NB