Bhubaneswar: To combat the growing threat of cyber crime and to make students and youth safe, aware and responsible digital citizens, a massive state-wide cyber awareness campaign was organized today in collaboration with Odisha Police, the School and Mass Education Department and the Higher Education Department.
The campaign began at 12 noon under the chairmanship of Director General, Crime Branch, Binaytosh Mishra. It was conducted through live webcast and video conferencing and covered more than 20,000 schools and over 2,000 colleges across 35 police districts of the state. More than 40 lakh students, teachers, guardians and police personnel participated in the program, creating a new milestone in the field of cyber awareness in Odisha.
In the current era, with the emergence of new forms of cybercrime, students and youth are increasingly falling prey to online fraud, blackmail and various forms of digital exploitation.
In some cases, they have even unknowingly made their bank accounts, SIM cards or credentials available for misuse by cybercriminals. In this context, the main objective of the campaign was to make the youth aware of cyber threats, impart knowledge on the safe use of digital media and encourage them to become ‘cyber awareness ambassadors’ in their families and society.
On this occasion, Governor of Odisha Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati gave a message to students to remain aware and vigilant about cyber security. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also highlighted the important role of the youth in building a cyber-safe Odisha and called upon them to spread awareness among their families, friends and society.
The program stressed the importance of taking immediate action during the ‘Golden Hour’ in case of cyber financial fraud. Participants were advised that if any person becomes a victim of cyber financial fraud, they should contact 1930 immediately and file a complaint on the cybercrime.gov.in portal without delay. It was explained that the sooner a complaint is filed after being a victim of fraud, the greater the chances of preventing and recovering the defrauded money.
The awareness drive also clarified that no bank, government office or police officer asks for OTP, PIN, CVV or password and therefore such information should never be shared with anyone. It was further warned that if someone demands money in the name of ‘Digital Arrest’, it is a fraud and people should immediately contact 1930. Students were also advised not to share their bank account, SIM card or identity card with anyone for money.
Students were told not to panic and not to give money under any circumstances if they become victims of online blackmail or digital exploitation. In such cases, they were asked to immediately inform their guardians, teachers or the police and keep the necessary digital evidence safe.
Through this massive state-wide campaign, a collective resolve was taken to create awareness against cyber crime at the grassroots level and build a safe and responsible digital society. The largest state-wide cyber awareness campaign concluded with the message “Be Aware, Be Safe—Cyber Safe Odisha”.
The programme was attended by Commissioner-cum-Secretary, School and Mass Education Department Dr. N. Tirumala Naik, IGP Crime Branch B. Gangadhar, IGP Crime Branch Madkar Sandip Sampath along with senior police officers, education department officials and representatives of police and education administration from various districts.
