Gujarat Police launched a 28-day statewide initiative, 'Operation Surakshit Cyberspace', on 1 July 2025, aimed at protecting women and children from online threats through technology-driven policing, cyber awareness drives, victim outreach and coordinated enforcement. The campaign runs until 28 July and covers every district in the state.

What the Operation Covers

The initiative combines intelligence-led policing with community engagement to create what officials describe as a safer digital environment for vulnerable groups. Field personnel have been assigned specific duties — identifying potential victims, verifying cybercrime alerts, counselling those at risk, and facilitating immediate reporting through the National Cyber Helpline.

Preliminary police action within 24 hours has been mandated for every cyber complaint involving women and children — a performance benchmark that sets this campaign apart from earlier awareness-only drives.

What the Government Said

Ajay Choudhary, Additional Director General of Police, CID Crime (Women Cell), outlined the rationale behind the operation. 'The objective of this operation is to strengthen public safety in the digital ecosystem, especially for women and children, who are increasingly becoming victims of online exploitation, cyberstalking, financial fraud, identity theft and other cyber-related crimes,' he said.

Choudhary added that the campaign — conducted under the guidance of Director General of Police G.S. Malik — aims to 'proactively identify potential victims, prevent financial losses, improve cyber awareness and ensure timely police intervention through coordinated action at every level.'

Scale and Statewide Targets

The numbers underscore the campaign's ambition. Gujarat Police have set targets to educate 25 lakh citizens on cyber safety, enrol 20 lakh students in a Cyber Safety Pledge, and conduct awareness programmes in 10,000 schools and 1,500 colleges. A dedicated stream will reach one lakh adolescent girls with sessions on cyberstalking, digital privacy and safe internet use.

Additionally, 5,000 parental awareness sessions are planned to help families shield children from online risks. Implementation will be led by SHE Teams and dedicated cybercrime police stations at the local level.

Partners and Enforcement Mechanism

Gujarat Police will coordinate with banks, telecom service providers, educational institutions, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), non-governmental organisations and community leaders to amplify outreach. Cyber intelligence and analytical tools will be deployed to detect threats before they escalate.

The campaign has adopted the slogan: 'Safety through awareness, investigation through technology, action through law, and a safer Gujarat through public participation.' Clearly defined performance indicators have been assigned to field officers, with prevention, early intervention and rapid response forming the operational core.

Why It Matters

This comes amid a nationwide rise in cybercrimes targeting women and minors — a trend documented in successive National Crime Records Bureau reports. Gujarat's structured, time-bound approach, with measurable targets and a 24-hour response mandate, signals a shift from passive awareness campaigns to active, accountability-driven policing. How well field units meet these benchmarks over the next four weeks will determine whether the model is replicable at scale.