Background and Timeline: Reported on February 13, 2026, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha provided an update on the state’s multi-pronged cyber security strategy. The state government has launched an intensive drive to identify and block resources used for “Digital Arrest” and other financial frauds. This initiative follows a massive awareness campaign conducted across 26 districts during the 2024-25 period.

Modus Operandi: The state utilizes the ‘1930’ helpline and the NCRP portal to identify numbers linked to suspicious activity and coordinates with the DoT to permanently block them. Mandatory FIR registration has been implemented for all cases involving losses above ₹10 lakh to ensure thorough tracking of high-value fraud. The government is also conducting specialized training for police personnel in digital evidence handling and forensic tool usage.

Victims and Financial Impact: A total of 25,338 suspect mobile numbers have been blocked to prevent further extortion attempts against the state’s citizens. Special drives have been launched specifically targeting senior citizens, women, and retired employees who are identified as the most frequent victims of digital arrest frauds. The blocking of these numbers has effectively disrupted the communication channels of dozens of active fraud modules.

Investigation and Agencies Involved: The Andhra Pradesh Home Department is establishing dedicated Cyber Crime Wings and specialized police stations in every district. Over 1,500 awareness programs were conducted during the last fiscal year to sensitize the public about emerging trends like romance and stalking scams. Authorities are working with the I4C and telecom operators to streamline the blocking process within the “golden hour”.

Arrests and Suspects: While the focus of the report was on preventive blocking, the Home Minister noted that capacity building in money trail analysis is enabling more rapid suspect identification. The state is focusing on the “back-end” infrastructure by analyzing the IMEI numbers and KYC details associated with the 25,000 blocked SIM cards. Further coordinated arrests are expected as the investigative wings expand their reach.

Broader Implications and Trends: Andhra Pradesh’s strategy highlights the shift toward “resource denial” where blocking the tools of the crime is prioritized alongside the arrests. It demonstrates that public awareness and technical blocking can serve as a powerful deterrent against industrial-scale fraud. This multi-pronged approach reflects the national trend toward building specialized, district-level cyber defense units.