Akshay Kumar Urges Maharashtra Govt to Introduce Weekly ‘Cyber Period’ for Students Amid Rising Cybercrime Threat

During a public event on October 3, 2025, film actor Akshay Kumar called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to introduce a weekly “Cyber Period” for students from Class 7 to 10. Speaking at a cyber safety awareness programme in Mumbai, Kumar shared a personal experience in which his daughter was asked for nude photos while playing an online video game.

“A few months ago, my daughter received a congratulatory message from a stranger while gaming. After a few messages, he asked for her gender. When she replied ‘female’, he demanded nude pictures. She switched off the game and informed her mother,” Kumar recounted, highlighting the urgent need for cyber safety education.

The event, marking the inaugural ceremony of Cyber Awareness Month 2025 at the Maharashtra Police Headquarters, was attended by CM Fadnavis, Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla, actor Rani Mukherjee, and senior officials. Kumar emphasized mandatory cyber safety lectures to educate children on navigating the digital world safely.

CM Fadnavis, who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio, stressed the challenges of preventing cybercrime, noting that while apprehending perpetrators is important, reversing financial losses and emotional trauma is far more difficult. “Raising awareness is necessary,” he said, pointing out that many survivors hesitate to report crimes due to social stigma.

Highlighting various cyber threats—including AI misuse, deepfakes, phishing, OTP scams, and voice/face cloning—Fadnavis stated, “The solution is awareness. Using information from social media and online transactions can lead to scams, extortion, and cyberbullying.” He urged citizens to remain vigilant, promptly file complaints, and acknowledged the government’s efforts in setting up cyber security labs and response centres for immediate action.