The inaugural session of the SHIELD 2026 conclave on Thursday (February 5, 2026) was marked by the launch of multiple indigenous, technology-driven initiatives aimed at tackling the fast-evolving nature of cybercrime.
Speaking at the opening session held in Hyderabad, Telangana Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao said policing had traditionally been rooted in the physical world but had now decisively shifted to the digital domain. “The frontline today is virtual — a phishing attack, a suspicious link,” he said, underlining the urgent need for robust measures to prevent online frauds and scams.
Mr. Rao noted that cybercrimes were no longer limited to the unaware, with even tech-savvy individuals falling victim. “Greed is a common human trait. The nature of crime may change, but the nature of our duty does not. We must continue to protect our citizens,” he said. The Chief Secretary stressed the importance of strong policy alignment, administrative preparedness and cross-departmental coordination to address cybercrime risks that increasingly impact governance, public services and critical infrastructure.
Digital initiatives
As part of the inaugural programme, the Chief Secretary formally launched key digital initiatives developed by the Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau. These include ‘1930 Saarthi’, an AI-powered multilingual voice agent deployed for the National Cybercrime Helpline, to provide faster guidance and improved victim assistance; Sentinel, a rule-based Cyber Crime Investigation Tool designed to ensure faster and uniform investigations across the State; and C-Sight, an AI-enabled system for automated processing and management of digital evidence related to Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Material.
