Some 300 internet cafes in Nepal are now under police surveillance following a new government regulation aimed at curbing cyber crimes.
According to SSP Rana Bahadur Chand, chief of the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD), cyber cafe users must now present ID cards and register their names, addresses, and telephone numbers. Chand mentioned, "There are around 1,200 cyber cafes in the Kathmandu Valley, and we will gradually bring all of them under this new law."
With the growing internet use in urban areas, cyber crimes have surged significantly, Chand noted. In response, the MPCD has begun implementing measures to monitor cyber cafes operating in the Kathmandu Valley. These cafes are now required to provide information to the police upon request.
Every month, approximately 8-10 cyber-related cases are reported to the police. Complaints range from email threats, theft of email IDs and passwords, email hacking, and misuse of images posted on social networking sites like Facebook. "Attaching nude pictures of girls to another woman's face has become a common phenomenon these days," Chand added.
The victims of these cyber crimes are often businessmen, individuals with higher social status, school girls, and young boys and girls.
To combat this growing threat, a Cyber Crime Unit was established under the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Circle last year. Headed by Chandra Singh Dhami, the unit consists of 15 full-time engineers, with an additional 8-10 part-time employees. "This is a kind of public-police partnership," Chand explained.
Recently, following instructions from the Home Ministry, the MPCD held a meeting with Nepal Telecom to develop plans to tackle cyber crimes.
