Ahmedabad Crime
28,310 social media handles involved in bullying, impersonation and fraud identified in two years; 23,835 blocked in total
A college student from Ahmedabad was harassed on Instagram by her ex-boyfriend after their breakup. The accused allegedly uploaded posts branding her a “call girl” and circulating her mobile number.
Afraid to approach family or police, she contacted a suicide helpline. Counsellors forwarded the complaint to the Cyber Crime Prevention Unit of the CID Crime, which moved immediately to get the handle blocked.
Officials say the case reflects a pattern seen increasingly across the state, where women, teenage girls and college students face relentless cyber bullying, most often from people they once knew.
In the last two years, the CCPU has blocked 13,385 social media handles involved in bullying, defaming or targeting women and girls. Of these, 8,188 were blocked in 2024, the majority on Instagram and Threads, and 5,197 in 2025. In just the first three months of 2026, more than 700 handles have already been removed. In one recent crackdown, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch registered a complaint against 120 social media handles accused of lifting display pictures of women, college girls and influencers, falsely branding over 1,000 women as call girls in posts that carried the word “Ahmedabad” to maximise damage.
Wider threat
Over the last two years, investigators identified 28,310 suspicious handles linked to impersonation, financial fraud, fake profiles and defamatory content targeting politicians and senior officials. Of these, 23,835 have been blocked. Sanjay Keshwala, SP, CID Crime Cyber Cell, said: “The moment women or girls realise they are being bullied on social media, they should immediately contact the cybercrime helpline.” He added, “Once the complaint reaches us and falls within our jurisdiction, we verify it quickly and move to block the handle without delay. Social media has become a playground for such offenders, so users, especially women, girls and teenagers must keep their accounts locked and remain alert.”
Mental toll
Dr Nirav Patel, city-based psychiatrist, said, “We witness a growing number of women coming in with anxiety, low self-esteem and emotional distress triggered by social media bullying. The constant exposure, public nature of comments and anonymity of users make the impact far more severe and long-lasting than offline harassment.”
He said, “ In many cases, this also leads to social isolation, as victims withdraw from both online and offline interactions. Many also report repetitive thoughts about the abuse, sleep disturbances, and in severe cases, self-harming behaviour and even suicidal thoughts.”
Click Here For The Original Source.
