A sharp rise in cybercrime complaints in Karaikal district is exposing serious gaps in policing capacity, with acute staff shortage, inadequate infrastructure and absence of a dedicated cybercrime police station slowing investigations and leaving a growing number of cases unresolved.
Data accessed by The Hindu show that the district cyber cell received about 550 complaints in 2025, but only 183 saw closure, a steep drop compared to the previous year despite a similar volume of cases. Officers attribute the decline to dwindling technical manpower and mounting complexity of cyber offences.
Once staffed with three cyber experts, the unit has been functioning with only one since last year, placing enormous pressure on the system. “The nature of cybercrime has changed, but our resources have not kept pace,” a senior police official said.
Records indicate that the cyber cell received about 160 complaints in 2023 and closed 83 of them. In 2024, complaints surged to around 560, with 344 cases disposed of — the highest in recent years.
Police sources say the cyber cell now handles a volume of complaints that exceeds the combined load of the five police stations across the district’s communes, underscoring the growing dependence on digital platforms and the risks that accompany it.
