#TalkingStalking | Cyber Stalked? Cops May Be Too Ignorant to Help

Cyber crime cases often remain unsolved because the police is unaware and ill-equipped to handle them.

(This piece has been republished from The Quint’s archives in light of our campaign, #TalkingStalking. It was originally published on 8 December,2016.)

Why is cyber crime still dealt with casually by the police in India? Every other day a case of cyber crime is reported, but how many of these are actually solved? The reason why cyber crime is recurring is because of lack of awareness not just on the part of the public, but also the police.

A 24-year-old journalist, Saniya Pasricha, was being stalked on Facebook since she was in the 12th standard, but wasn’t aware of it. It was only four years ago that she found out that there were fake Facebook profiles in her name. Listen to Saniya’s story as she narrates how she became a victim of cyber crime and the police’s response.

The incident shocked her and she searched for her name on different social media platforms. She got the impostor’s contact details from the guy whom she was talking to. The impostor’s sim card is no longer in use.

Here is a comparison of Saniya Pasricha’s Instagram profile and the impostor’s profile, which used the name Sanya Sharma.

The fake Instagram profile posted pictures of Saniya Pasricha and her family members.

Is reporting abuse on Facebook enough to get rid of your fake profiles? Wait till you hear this

What happened when she approached the Cyber Crime cell in Mumbai?

After receiving a casual response from the Cyber Crime department, this is how she proceeded

Did the Ministry of Women and Child development take cognizance of her complaint?

Is the impostor still free after the intervention of the ministry and the Cyber Crime cell?

Are you being stalked online? The delay might cost you. Take action before the situation worsens.

You can read Saniya’s full post here.

(#TalkingStalking: Have you ever been stalked? Share your experience with The Quint and inspire others to shatter the silence surrounding stalking. Send your stories to [e-mail] or WhatsApp @ [phone].)