Kanpur: Delivering the powerful message that “dacoits no longer arrive on horseback; they now come through mobile phones,” the Kanpur Police Commissionerate on Saturday premiered its 40-minute cyber crime awareness film, Silent Crimes: Not Just a Film, But a Wake-Up Call, with Bollywood actor Annu Kapoor urging people to remain vigilant against online fraud.Kapoor, who has himself been a victim of cyber fraud, said the film was not just entertainment but a public awareness campaign against one of the fastest-growing forms of crime.The film, produced by the Kanpur Police Commissionerate, aims to educate citizens about the growing threat of cyber crime and ways to protect themselves from online fraud. Kapoor, who plays cyber crime inspector Kartar Singh, was the chief guest at the premiere held at Rave 3 Cinema Hall.Bollywood actor Mushtaq Khan portrayed Inspector Babulal Dubey, while ACP Colonelganj Anand Ojha played SP Angad Singh and also served as the poster face of the film. Shooting began at the Police Lines in February this year.Addressing the audience before the screening, Kapoor described the premiere as unique, saying even major commercial films in Mumbai rarely receive such a grand launch. “This film is not merely a pledge but a campaign with a purpose,” he said.Kapoor revealed that Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal had approached him several years ago with the idea of making a film on cyber crime, which has now been realised through the collective efforts of the commissioner, ACP Anand Ojha and the police force. He also recited a few lines of poetry before the screening.As the film’s punchline — “Dacoits no longer arrive on horseback; now they come through mobile phones” — echoed through the auditorium, it drew loud applause from the audience.Kapoor revealed that he had personally experienced both theft and cyber fraud. He recalled that in 2022, while travelling from a railway platform in Dijon, France, to Paris, two strangers offered to help him before fleeing with his Prada bag, worth about Rs 2.5 lakh, containing foreign currency and valuables. The theft caused him losses of nearly Rs 3–14 lakh.He said French police registered his complaint after nearly two-and-a-half hours but informed him that recovery of the stolen money was unlikely.Kapoor also recounted being the victim of cyber fraud in Mumbai, where fraudsters emptied a bank account he had been using to help Covid-19 victims. After he lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Cyber Crime Police, the entire amount was eventually recovered from Bihar.The actor said that while his status as a Bollywood celebrity ensured nationwide attention to his case, ordinary citizens often do not receive the same response. He urged law enforcement agencies to treat cyber fraud complaints from the public with equal seriousness.
