In a unique blend of law enforcement and creative storytelling, Raigarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shashi Mohan Singh has written, directed, and starred in a hard-hitting short film titled ‘Khauf - The Digital War’, aimed at raising awareness about rising cybercrime.
The 20-minute film, based on a real-life incident and produced with the support of the Jashpur district police, is designed as a potent tool to spread awareness against the growing threat of cyber fraud.
Coincidentally, just a day before the film’s release in Jashpur on April 6, Chhattisgarh Police arrested the cyber criminals allegedly involved in the crime portrayed in the movie from Bengaluru.
The film features IPS officer Singh in the lead role of a middle-class schoolmaster. The narrative follows his character’s descent into a “vicious circle” of harassment a month before his sister’s wedding.
Through threatening phone calls, deceptive video calls, and relentless demands for online payments, the film portrays how cyber criminals turn a common man’s life into a living hell, pushing victims towards helplessness and even death by suicide.
A primary objective of the film is to debunk the myth of “digital arrest”. During the unveiling, SSP Singh emphasised that there is no such legalised provision in India.
The storytelling aims to educate the public on the modus operandi used by fraudsters to intimidate citizens into compliance.
Through a social media post, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai shared the film and highlighted that while technology has made life easier, it has also increased the threat of cyber fraud.
The film focuses on the alarming trend of “digital arrest”, a fraudulent tactic where criminals impersonate law enforcement officials via video calls to intimidate and extort money from vulnerable individuals.
"Awareness is the most effective security shield to ensure prevention of cybercrime across the state," the CM Sai stated, urging the public to watch the film to understand how these scammers operate.
The premiere was attended by Kaushalya Devi Sai, wife of the Chief Minister, along with Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam and other dignitaries in Jashpur.
To ensure wider outreach, ‘Khauf - The Digital War’ is scheduled to be screened in theatres, schools, colleges, and community halls across Chhattisgarh, serving as a visual guide to identifying key warning signs of digital fraud.