Cyber safety rathas to be flagged off in Odisha as part of online safety campaign

The cyber safety rathas will travel across the state and cover all block headquarters and police stations in the next two weeks.
Curtain raiser event for the cyber safety campaign. (Photo | Express)
Curtain raiser event for the cyber safety campaign. (Photo | Express)

BHUBANESWAR: As part of Odisha Police’s cyber safety campaign, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will flag off 34 ‘cyber safety rathas’ from Kalinga stadium here on Saturday. A curtain raiser event for the cyber safety campaign was organised by Odisha Police on Thursday. The state police said the objective of the campaign is to raise awareness and educate citizens about various cyber crimes and how to protect themselves from online scamsters.

During the event, DGP Sunil Kumar Bansal launched the campaign’s logo and mascot resembling an Irrawaddy dolphin. The mascot has been named Cyrra by merging the terms cybercrime and Irrawaddy.  
The cyber safety rathas will travel across the state and cover all block headquarters and police stations in the next two weeks.

They will disseminate awareness messages through audio, visual and printed copies in local languages/dialects. They will commence the district campaign from October 2 and travel on a pre-announced route. The rathas will stop at public places like markets, haats, offices and hamlets and play audio/video messages on cyber safety.

Workshops/quiz competitions on cyber safety will be held every day from October 3 onwards in at least two educational institutions in each district. Professionals proficient in local languages will accompany the cyber safety rathas.

An online campaign will run simultaneously to provide cyber safety messages through various social media platforms, radio, electronic and print media. A social media handle @cybercopodisha has been created on X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to share the latest updates on cyber safety.

In figures

  • 1,983 cyber crime cases registered in 2022
  • 1,287 cases registered between January and July this year
  • 3,402 online financial fraud complaints were received in 2021, 7,700 in 2022 and 8,406 so far this year
  • Rs 74.65 lakh refunded to victims till September 28 this year
  • Rs 74.46 lakh refunded in 2022 and Rs 31.22 lakh in 2021
  • 310 complaints relating to child pornography and rape/gang rape received in 2020

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