Bhubaneswar: The Odisha govt has fast‑tracked the process of engaging specialised experts in cyber police stations across the state by finalising the selection of an agency to supply the required manpower.Last April, the govt had sanctioned the deployment of 170 specialists in information technology (IT), cyber forensics and financial analysis to assist the police in investigating cyber financial frauds.DGP Y B Khurania said the selected agency – a central PSU – will execute the project for the next three years. “The 170 specialised experts — IT professionals, cyber forensic specialists and finance and accounts analysts — will be appointed in phases. The crime branch will also be involved in the hiring process. We expect the experts to be available in all cyber police stations within the next two months,” Khurania told TOI.Odisha currently has 34 cyber police stations covering all 30 districts. Deployment numbers will vary between urban and rural regions. As per plan, each rural cyber police station may initially have one IT expert and one financial analyst, while urban stations are expected to have two IT experts, one cyber forensic specialist and one finance analyst.“Their induction will strengthen the technical capabilities required for handling cyber‑related crimes, digital investigations and financial analysis. This is a crucial step in modernising our policing,” Khurania said.The urgency stems from the exponential rise in cybercrime in the state. Police records show a staggering 22‑fold increase between 2014 and 2025, with cases escalating from 124 in 2014 to 2,803 in 2025 — a 2,161% jump. The financial impact has also been severe – fraudsters swindled victims of Rs 8.97 crore in 2018, which went up to Rs 154.5 crore in 2024.Earlier this year, the govt had proposed a centre of excellence for cyber security with an allocation of Rs 89 crore to effectively combat threats from the cyber space. Officials said the centre will strengthen cyber monitoring, digital forensics, capacity building and advanced response capabilities, significantly enhancing the state’s preparedness against technology‑driven crime.A senior police official said, “Cybercrime is no longer confined to urban pockets. Rural victims are increasingly being targeted through digital loan apps, phishing and online scams. The deployment of experts will help us respond faster and more effectively.”Cyber expert Binayak Sahoo said, “With rising digital transactions, states must invest in specialised manpower. The centre of excellence could also serve as a hub for training and research in cyber policing.”
