Karnataka loses Rs 5,474 crore to cyber frauds in three years: Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that over the last three years, people in the state have lost Rs 5,474 crore to cyber frauds, of which the police have managed to recover Rs 627 crore so far.
The minister was responding to a question from Sakleshpur BJP MLA Cement Manju in the Legislative Assembly.
"Cyber fraud has been increasing in recent times. In the last four years, about 52,000 cyber frauds have taken place in Karnataka, and the numbers are rising day by day," Parameshwara said.
He pointed out that the government had planned to curb cyber fraud by introducing an amendment to police laws. However, the All India Gaming Federation obtained a court stay on the amendment, and the matter is currently pending in the Supreme Court.
"The matter is listed for December 19," he added.
Parameshwara stated that while over 22,000 cyber fraud cases were filed in 2023, only a limited number were identified, leading to losses of Rs 873 crore, of which Rs 177 crore was recovered.
Cyber frauds in 2024 resulted in losses of over Rs 2,500 crore from around 22,400 cases, with more than Rs 300 crore recovered by authorities, he added.
For 2025, the minister said, cyber fraud cases have dropped to roughly 13,000 following government measures, with losses exceeding Rs 2,000 crore and recoveries of Rs 125 crore so far.
He described cyber fraud as a significant challenge not only for Karnataka but for the entire country.
Parameshwara also highlighted that Karnataka was the first state in India to create a dedicated cyber vertical headed by a Director General of Police.
"Karnataka is waging a big fight against cyber fraud, and efforts are ongoing to bring down the number of cases," he said, adding that the state currently has 43 cyber police stations under a central cyber command.
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India submits nomination of Meghalaya's living root bridges for UNESCO World Heritage site
Shillong (PTI): India has submitted to UNESCO in Paris the nomination dossier of Meghalaya's living root bridges for consideration to include in the World Heritage list 2026-27, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Thursday.
The dossier was handed over by India's Ambassador Vishal V Sharma to UNESCO's World Heritage Centre Director Lazare Assomo Eloundou, a statement said.
"We are hopeful that the living root bridges will be inscribed this year, ensuring that the indigenous communities, the true guardians of this living heritage, receive the global recognition they so richly deserve," Sangma said on X.
While submitting the dossier, Sharma, the Permanent Representative to UNESCO, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Meghalaya CM for their support to the nomination, the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO said in a statement.
Sharma also acknowledged the role of Meghalaya Principal Secretary Frederick Kharkongor, officers of the Archaeological Survey of India, the Ministry of External Affairs, experts and the local communities in safeguarding the property and preparing the nomination.
Located across the southern slopes of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of the northeastern state, the nominated property represents a living cultural landscape shaped over centuries by indigenous Khasi and Jaintia communities.
"The landscape reflects a deep-rooted and harmonious relationship between people, nature and spirituality, embodied in traditional systems of land use, governance and ecological stewardship," the statement said.
The indigenous worldview underpinning the cultural landscape is anchored in principles of respect, reciprocity and responsibility towards Mei Ramew (Mother Earth), it said.
"The submission of this nomination underscores India's commitment to recognising and preserving living cultural traditions and indigenous knowledge systems, and to advancing global heritage conservation efforts through UNESCO," the statement added.
