Kashmir's Digital Arrest Scam

A Srinagar couple's loss exposes how fear driven cyber scams thrive in Kashmir's digital rush and weak public awareness.

- Mohammad Hanief

A phone rings in Srinagar, and an elderly couple answers, reassured by a voice that sounds official, polished, and convincing.

Within days, their lifetime savings of 48 lakh are gone, sent out in repeated transfers under pressure that never lets up.

This episode, now widely reported, reveals how cyber scams have tightened their grip on Jammu and Kashmir, feeding on fear, authority, and gaps in digital awareness.

The fraud began through WhatsApp video calls from people claiming senior positions in the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

The callers spoke with confidence and legal language, accusing the couple of links to money laundering and illegal financial flows through shell accounts. Screens flashed with forged documents carrying government logos, case numbers, and signatures.

Every detail looked convincing enough to silence doubt.

The callers warned of arrest, seizure of property, and frozen bank accounts. The pressure never eased.

Video calls continued for days, a tactic cyber investigators describe as virtual house arrest. The couple received strict instructions to stay connected, avoid relatives, neighbours, and police, and follow every step given on the call.

Isolation turned panic into obedience. One transfer followed another until 48 lakh moved into accounts controlled by the scammers.

When communication ended and no official action followed, reality surfaced.

The couple approached authorities, leading to a formal case and an investigation tracing call origins and fund movement. Police reiterated a simple truth that many people still miss.

There is no legal concept called digital arrest. No agency conducts investigations or financial verification through phone calls, video calls, or social media. And no officer asks for money, passwords, or one time passwords through a call.