Devesh Chandra Srivastva, the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime Division), Delhi Police, delivered an important lecture on Cyber Security a day ago at the Faculty of Engineering & Technology Auditorium, Jamia Millia Islamia.
This lecture was part of the inaugural ceremony for the ‘Cyber Club,’ which has been established under the auspices of the Office of the Dean Students’ Welfare of the university.
The event was effectively coordinated with the guidance of Prof. Neelofer Afzal, Dean of Students’ Welfare, S.A. Rashid, Security Advisor at JMI (Former DCP, Delhi Police), along with the club’s team members, which included Dr. Shane Kazim Naqvi, Dr. Musheer Ahmad, and Dr. Umaima, the Convener of the club.
Prof. Neelofer Afzal, Dean of Students’ Welfare and Advisor of the Cyber Club, said: “We are proud to inaugurate the Jamia Cyber Club, a student-led initiative under the Office of the Dean Students’ Welfare, aimed at promoting cyber awareness and digital hygiene through training sessions, workshops, and expert talks.” She further said: “The club seeks to foster responsible digital citizenship by encouraging ethical online behaviour and facilitating discussions on cyber law, digital rights, AI risks, and emerging threats. Importantly, the Cyber Club will collaborate with the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police, bridging academic learning with practical expertise in cyber security.”
Devesh Chandra Srivastva, during his lecture, illuminated the audience on the different facets of cybercrime and the methods to protect against them. He acknowledged that the university established the Cyber Club and described it as a necessity of the present time as it will help in making the campus cyber secure. He said: “I believe that Jamia can serve as a role model for others due to the high rankings it has achieved in various accreditations, NIRF, and other rankings. I think Jamia should exemplify this role model status through its cyber club, aiming to ensure that the entire university campus is cyber secure or cyber safe.”
In a compelling PowerPoint presentation, Srivastva highlighted the increasing prevalence of cyber crimes and emphasised the necessity for individuals to exercise caution in order to avoid becoming victims of such offenses. He provided a comprehensive explanation regarding the various types of cyber crimes that are currently occurring, their trends, methods for prevention, and the procedures for reporting such offenses.
In a special address to students, Dr. Hemant Tiwari discussed the precautions necessary when using social media. He highlighted that mule bank accounts have emerged as a significant issue and elaborated on the measures to avoid falling victim to such accounts. Dr. Tiwari urged students to exercise caution and refrain from sharing personal information with individuals in the virtual realm, particularly to avoid developing emotional dependencies.
A mule bank account refers to an account exploited by criminals to move illicit funds. Often, the account holder is unaware that they are involved, having been deceived into assisting with the transaction. These accounts play a key role in obscuring the origin of stolen money, making it harder for authorities to track and reclaim it. Individuals whose accounts are misused in this manner are commonly referred to as “money mules”.
Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, the Registrar of Jamia Millia Islamia, commended the initiatives taken by the DSW office in establishing the Cyber Club, which aims to raise awareness regarding cyber crime among all university stakeholders. He elaborated on the different objectives for which the Cyber Club was established and expressed his hope that it would contribute to fostering a more cyber secure campus.
Prof. Mazhar Asif, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, emphasised in his presidential address that individuals who engage in financial crimes within the cyber realm exploit the greed of their victims. He stated that individuals ought to be self-satisfied and should avoid becoming ensnared by greed, as this could lead them to fall prey to cyber criminals. He encouraged everyone to strive to be good human beings, to avoid negativity and harmful thoughts, and to refrain from sharing personal information with strangers unless it is absolutely necessary.
Dr. Musheer Ahmad, a member of the Cyber Club, expressed gratitude through the vote of thanks. The event concluded with the gathering singing the National Anthem.
Prof. Mazhar Asif served as the Chief Patron, while Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, the Registrar of JMI, acted as the Patron for the event. Dr. Hemant Tiwari, DCP of the South East District of Delhi Police, was present as special guest. The event saw attendance from several IPS officers, senior Delhi Police officials, Deans, Heads of Departments, faculty members, non-teaching staff, and students from both the university and affiliated schools.
