Bhopal, June 24 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday launched a state-wide cyber awareness campaign covering more than 50,000 villages and urged citizens to remain vigilant against the growing threat of online fraud, digital arrests, deepfakes and ransomware attacks.

The 15-day campaign, titled Safe Click 2.0, will run from June 24 to July 8 across all 10 divisions and 55 districts of the state. Awareness programmes will be organised in schools, banks, markets, panchayats, religious places and government offices to educate people about cyber safety.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal, Yadav described cybercrime as a major challenge of the digital age and stressed the need for public participation to tackle it. He said cyber threats are an invisible enemy that enters homes without warning, adding that awareness, caution and participation are the strongest shields against cybercrime.

He noted that cybercriminals were increasingly targeting people through fake investment schemes, phishing links, hacking, fake profiles, data breaches and digital arrest scams. The Chief Minister said the Madhya Pradesh Police had already reached more than 33 lakh citizens through cyber awareness initiatives, and the campaign would now be expanded to the grassroots level.

“Cybercriminals are the demons of the digital age. They use mobile phones and computers to deceive people and steal money. Citizens should stop, think and then act whenever they receive suspicious calls, messages or links,” Yadav said.

During the programme, the Chief Minister unveiled the campaign poster, cyber awareness booklets for schoolchildren and the official campaign video. He also flagged off a cyber awareness chariot that will travel across the state to spread awareness about cyber fraud and digital safety.

Director General of Police (DGP) Kailash Makwana said cybercrime was no longer merely a financial issue but also a matter of social trust and national security. He said around 80 per cent of cybercrime complaints received by police were related to financial fraud.

Makwana added that the state police had introduced the e-Zero FIR facility for cyber fraud cases involving up to Rs 1 lakh and was actively assisting victims through the cybercrime helpline 1930. In 2025, authorities froze Rs 135 crore linked to cyber fraud and facilitated the return of funds to victims.

The campaign will feature daily themes focusing on banking security, women’s safety, rural cyber awareness and responsible digital behaviour, with the aim of turning cybersecurity into a mass awareness movement across the state.

–IANS

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