Cyber Crime Training Held in Aizawl to Boost Awareness and Enforcement

Aizawl, March 2026: A one-day “Training on Cyber Crime” was conducted today at the Gauhati High Court Aizawl Bench Conference Hall, jointly organized by the Mizoram State Legal Services Authority and Mizoram Police.

The inaugural session was attended by Justice Michael Zothankhuma, Judge of the Gauhati High Court and Judge-in-charge of the Administration Department, as well as Executive Chairman of the Assam State Legal Services Authority. Also present were Justice Nelson Sailo, Executive Chairman of MSLSA; Justice Sanjeev Kumar Sharma; Sharad Agarwal; and Helen Dawngliani.

In his address, Justice Michael Zothankhuma shared that he himself had experienced cyber crime, and appreciated the initiative of organizing such a training programme. He noted that rapid technological advancements often outpace the development of legal frameworks, creating gaps that enable new forms of cyber fraud and crime. He emphasized the need for coordinated efforts among law enforcement agencies, police, and the judiciary to effectively combat cyber crime. He also highlighted that public awareness remains the most crucial first line of defence.

Justice Nelson Sailo spoke about the legal framework governing data protection, noting that the Supreme Court recognized the Right to Privacy as a Fundamental Right under Article 21 in 2017. He added that the Parliament enacted the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 to safeguard individuals’ data rights. Highlighting the rising trend of cyber crime, he stated that over 86,000 cases were registered in India in 2023. In Mizoram, 361 cyber crime cases were recorded between 2022 and 2026, with five cases reported up to March this year. He pointed out that financial fraud, social media impersonation, and sexual harassment are among the most common offences. He advised citizens to use antivirus software, avoid opening unknown files, and promptly report incidents to the police.

Director General of Police Sharad Agarwal noted that the surge in cyber crime poses significant challenges for law enforcement. He explained that modern technologies like Artificial Intelligence are being misused for phishing attacks, deepfake videos, password theft, and spreading malware. He informed that Mizoram Police has established a Technical Support Cell and is using digital forensic tools to strengthen cyber crime investigations.

District & Sessions Judge Helen Dawngliani highlighted various forms of cyber crime and observed that while technology has made life easier, it has also increased opportunities for criminal activities. She stressed the importance of collaboration between the police and judiciary to ensure public safety under the law.

Following the inaugural session, technical sessions were conducted by Dr Harold D’Costa, President of Cyber Security Corporation and an international trainer in digital forensics and cyber law. Additional sessions were led by Zonunsanga and JH Lalparmawii. The concluding session was handled by Meghna Yadav.

Officials from various departments, including Home, Excise & Narcotics, Finance, and other government sectors, actively participated in the training programme, aimed at strengthening awareness, preparedness, and coordinated response to cyber crime.