Maharashtra govt mulling hiring professional hackers to tackle cybercrimes: Yogesh Kadam

Pune, Sep 11 (PTI) Maharashtra minister of state for home Yogesh Kadam on Thursday said the government was considering hiring professional hackers on contract basis to tackle cybercrimes.

Speaking at a press interaction organised by Pune Patrakar Sangh, Kadam also hailed the Cyber Command & Control Centre in Mahape in Navi Mumbai saying the latest Artificial Intelligence tools were being used at the facility.

"We have taken some key decisions to tackle cybercrime. At Cyber Command & Control Centre in Mahape in Navi Mumbai, all latest AI tools are being used. If any cyber fraud related complaint comes through 1930 helpline, within an hour of the commission of the crime, we successfully ensure funds stolen by cyber criminals are retrieved," he said.

"We need trained workforce, so we are currently giving training to 5000 police personnel whose sole work will be related to tackling cybercrimes. The state government is also considering hiring professional hackers on contract basis to tackle cybercrimes. The state government is giving lot of impetus on raising awareness about cybercrimes," he said.

Speaking about the Cyber Command & Control Centre in Mahape, Kadam said all cyber police stations in the state are connected to the facility.

As soon as any complaint related to cyber fraud is received by any police station, it reaches the Mahape facility, which begins tracing the cyber criminals, the minister informed. PTI SPK BNM