Hyderabad hosts SHIELD 2026 as cybercrime dips
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) of Telangana Police on February 5 inaugurated SHIELD 2026, the second edition of the State’s flagship cybersecurity conclave, in Hyderabad.
The event was inaugurated in the presence of the Chief Secretary to the Government of Telangana and the Director General of Police, Telangana, along with senior officials from Central and State governments, law enforcement agencies, industry, academia and cybersecurity experts from across the country.
National platform for cybercrime collaboration
SHIELD 2026 serves as a national platform for collaboration among government agencies, law enforcement, industry, academia, startups and the research ecosystem. The conclave has brought together law enforcement officers from 20 states, along with national and international stakeholders, to discuss emerging cyber threats and strengthen public safety.
The event builds on Telangana’s ongoing work in cybercrime prevention, investigation and victim support.
CPU impact highlighted
A key outcome of SHIELD 2025 was the launch of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) by the Chief Minister of Telangana. Since its formation, the CPU has significantly improved action against online child sexual abuse material.
Earlier, about 50,400 tiplines led to 37 cases and 36 arrests. After the CPU was set up, over 1,20,563 tiplines were processed, resulting in 866 cases and 421 arrests.
Officials stress policy and operational readiness
Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao said strong policy alignment, administrative preparedness and inter-departmental coordination were essential to address evolving cyber risks affecting governance, public services and critical infrastructure. Cybersecurity, he said, must be embedded across all levels of administration.
Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy said law enforcement agencies face growing challenges due to rapidly evolving cyber threats and rising case volumes. He stressed the need for advanced investigative technologies, specialised training and collaborative frameworks to strengthen cybercrime enforcement.
TGCSB vision and digital launches
Welcoming the gathering, TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said the bureau is focused on building a resilient cybersecurity ecosystem through co-innovation with industry, academia and research institutions. The emphasis, she said, was on deployment-ready solutions aligned with real-world policing needs.
During the inaugural programme, the Chief Secretary launched several TGCSB-developed digital initiatives. These included 1930 Saarthi, an AI-powered multilingual cybercrime reporting and assistance system; Sentinel, a rule-based Cyber Crime Investigation Tool for faster and uniform investigations; and C-Sight, an AI-enabled system for processing digital evidence related to child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
Technology Experience Zone and CipherSprint
A key attraction at SHIELD 2026 is the Technology Experience Zone, showcasing robotic dogs, humanoid robots, flight simulators, drone and counter drone technologies, and AI-driven security solutions.
Another highlight is Cipher Sprint, a national cyber innovation challenge under the SHIELD ecosystem. This year, over 500 teams from across the country applied across multiple categories. Seventeen finalist teams are presenting solutions to real-world cybercrime challenges. Winning teams will receive a ₹5 lakh grant and an opportunity to co-develop solutions with TGCSB.
Cybercrime performance
Telangana recorded a 6% reduction in cybercrime complaints in 2025, from 96,535 in 2024 to 90,369, against a national increase of nearly 24%. Financial losses fell by 23%, from ₹1,901 crore to ₹1,524 crore. Over ₹534 crore was put on hold and ₹367 crore refunded to nearly 47,000 victims across 2024 and 2025.
The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks by Harshvardhan, Superintendent of Police (Cyber Security and Analytics), TGCSB.
