Ahmedabad Cyber Police Bust Online Stalkers Targeting Women; 8 Arrested

In a major breakthrough aimed at making digital spaces safer for women, the Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch has arrested eight individuals, including one woman, in connection with online harassment, cyberstalking, and identity theft. 

The arrests were executed under the newly launched initiative Mission Cyber Rakshika, operating under the campaign hashtag #SecureHerSpace. Operating under top police leadership, officials set up specialized teams that tracked and apprehended the suspects across various districts in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The nationwide operation was triggered after multiple female victims approached the Cyber Crime unit, reporting harassment involving fake social media profiles, objectionable media messages, identity theft, and cyberbullying. 

Female police officers conducted counseling sessions for the victims, following which 11 separate FIRs were registered while strictly maintaining the identity confidentiality of the complainants. Detailed technical analysis led investigators directly to the culprits, who targeted women maintaining public social media profiles.

Specialized Operations Reveal Extensive Stalking and AI Misuse

Investigations uncovered widespread cyber harassment tactics utilized by the accused. One key suspect, Suresh Puri, reportedly created 10 fake IDs over six months to target nearly 300 women, bombarding them with nude photographs, objectionable audio files, and explicit messages. Another suspect, Keyur Lakkar, created eight fake profiles impersonating women to reach out to female friends of public profile holders. Prior operations under the same mission led to arrests in Rajasthan and Delhi involving individuals impersonating online gurus and using artificial intelligence to create deepfake nude photos for extortion.

Alongside enforcing legal action, the Cyber Crime Branch has actively taken down offensive posts and accounts from social media platforms. Police reiterated their pledge to maintain strict anonymity for all women filing complaints to foster a secure online environment.