India's 2nd National Cyber Forensics Lab to come up in Assam to combat online fraud
Source: X/ MoU signed between Assam and Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) for the second National Cyber Forensics Laboratory to be set up in Assam
Guwahati, Sept. 18: Amid a sharp rise in online fraud across the state, Assam is set to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure with the establishment of India’s second National Cyber Forensics Lab (NCFL).
The lab will be located at the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy, Dergaon, and is designed to enhance the state's ability to prevent, mitigate, and prosecute cyber crimes.
The Assam police and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) formalised the establishment of the NCFL through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly expressed his gratitude to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai for their support.
On social media, Sarma highlighted the alignment of this initiative with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Safe Cyber Space Campaign”, which aims to reinforce national cybersecurity.
The new NCFL in Assam will complement the existing lab in Tripura, which has been operational since 2013. The Tripura lab, located at the Tripura High Court, plays a vital role in providing court case-related information.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), established on October 5, 2018, by the Ministry of Home Affairs, focuses on improving coordination between law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to tackle cybercrime effectively.
Meanwhile, recent data from I4C reveals a concerning rise in online trading scams.
Between January and April 2024, the Centre reported 20,043 trading scams amounting to ₹14,204.83 crore and 62,687 investment scams totalling ₹2,225.82 crore.
These figures underscore the growing threat posed by fraudulent activities associated with fake trading apps, loan apps, gaming apps, dating apps, and algorithm manipulation.
