| Cybercrime surge in J&K: Cases spike nearly 300% in just one year | | Over 15,000 incidents reported in 2024; 12,129 cases registered in first six months alone | |  Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 1: Despite intensified awareness campaigns and public advisories issued by law enforcement agencies, cybercrimes in Jammu and Kashmir have been rising at an alarming rate year after year. The latest data presented in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, reveals a massive spike in online frauds, scams, and digital financial crimes across the Union Territory.
According to official figures, cybercrime incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have more than quintupled in the past four years. While 2,515 cybercrime cases were reported in 2021, the number rose to 4,465 in 2022. In 2023, the figure further increased to 5,389 cases. However, it is the data for 2024 that has set off alarm bells—recording a nearly 300 percent surge with a staggering 15,088 cases.
Even more concerning is that in the first six months of 2025 alone, 12,129 cybercrime cases have already been registered, indicating that this year may break all previous records if the current trend continues.
Law enforcement officials attribute the surge to the rapid increase in smartphone penetration, digital transactions, and online banking across urban and rural areas of the Union Territory, coupled with a lack of awareness and digital literacy in vulnerable sections of the population.
Fraudulent calls, phishing links, UPI scams, fake investment schemes, and impersonation on social media platforms remain among the most common methods used by cybercriminals.
Despite regular advisories from the Cyber Police, banks, and telecom providers, many people—especially the elderly and less digitally literate—continue to fall prey to sophisticated cyber frauds. The Jammu and Kashmir Police have repeatedly urged citizens not to share OTPs, passwords, or sensitive financial information over calls or messages.
Security agencies have also called for more investment in cyber infrastructure, training for investigative officers, and awareness drives at the grassroots level, particularly in remote districts.
The government has acknowledged the severity of the situation and assured that multi-pronged strategies are being adopted to counter cyber threats. These include setting up cyber forensic labs, enhancing technical capabilities of police units, and promoting community outreach programmes.
However, the sharp spike in cases has raised serious concerns among citizens and experts alike. “Cybercrime is becoming the biggest internal threat as it targets ordinary citizens’ savings and personal data. The response must go beyond awareness—it must include stronger laws, faster investigations, and accountability of telecom and banking systems,” said a senior cybersecurity analyst based in Jammu.
With digital dependency growing across sectors, the challenge for Jammu and Kashmir’s administration will be to stay ahead of the evolving tactics of cybercriminals while ensuring the safety and trust of the public in the digital ecosystem. |
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