Criminals target women with hi-tech devices

Agencies : Thiruvananthapuram, Mon Jul 30 2012, 15:44 hrs
As many as 80,000 cyber crime related complaints have been registered with police in Kerala in the last one year, of which 50,000 relate to harassment of women through new hi-tech devices, Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said here today.

The number of cyber crimes are on the rise in the state with 80,000 complaints lodged in the last one year, of which 50,000 were relating to women alone, the home minister told reporters here.

Most victims of these crimes were teenaged girls and women, he said, adding there was a nefarious attempt to trap young girls to indulge in wrongdoing.

The increase in number of mobile phones had also led to more number of cyber crimes, he said.

Kerala now has three lakh mobile phones, he said.


Crimes were also reported by misusing social networking websites on the internet, he said.

The minister said with a view to strengthen computer security using best practices, Kerala Police would hold an International Information Security Conference here on August 3 and 4.

"By fostering the collaboration of the public and private sectors, our goal is to conceive new counter measures against cyber security threats and crimes against women," he said.

On reported presence of Maoist in Kerala forests, he said certain things cannot be disclosed due to security reasons. Necessary steps would be taken by police to prevent activities of such groups, he said.

Justifying the ban on the August 15 'freedom parade' of Popular Front of India, he pointed out that the ban had been in force for the past three years and UDF government had only followed the stand taken by the previous LDF government.

He said Independence Day celebrations were official celebrations conducted by all state governments. "Let us celebrate the freedom together," he said, adding the PFI's parade has a sectarian colour to it. On the investigation into the murder of Marxist rebel leader T P Chandrasekheran, he said tbe probe is progressing on the right direction. So far, 61 persons have been listed as accused in the case, he added.

Radhakrishnan also denied state BJP allegation that there was nexus between UDF and Opposition LDF to sabotage the probe.Source-The Indian Express