In a sweeping crackdown on the circulation of child sexual exploitation material online, the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) arrested 15 individuals during a coordinated statewide operation held on Wednesday.
The arrests were carried out across multiple districts including Hyderabad, Cyberabad, Warangal, Karimnagar, and Jagtial. According to TGCSB Director Shikha Goel, those arrested were not first-time offenders. “These individuals were involved in browsing, forwarding, and distributing child sexual abuse content. Many were repeat offenders flagged in at least 57 separate tip line complaints,” she said during a press briefing.
The tip-offs were routed through the Ministry of Home Affairs via Interpol, reflecting international collaboration in the fight against online child abuse. A total of 34 criminal cases have been filed under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Seventeen of these were registered at TGCSB’s cybercrime stations.
The arrested individuals, aged between 19 and 50, largely belonged to middle-income households. “Many were in their twenties. One was even an IIT Kharagpur graduate. It just goes to show that no socioeconomic class is immune to this deeply disturbing behavior,” Goel noted.
Disturbingly, preliminary investigations revealed that the victims depicted in the seized content appeared to be girls between the ages of six and fourteen, primarily from outside India.
The TGCSB’s child protection unit, which was established in February 2025, has intensified its monitoring of such digital crimes. In just four months, the unit has registered 294 FIRs and arrested 110 individuals in similar cases.
“We focused on repeat offenders this time — those who had consistent digital footprints indicating habitual viewing of this material,” Goel said, reaffirming the Bureau’s commitment to child safety online.
Authorities have urged citizens to report any instances of online child exploitation material they may come across and warned that consumption alone, even without distribution, constitutes a punishable offence under Indian law.
The Bureau has also reiterated that parents, schools, and tech platforms must play an active role in creating safer online spaces for children.
