Mumbai cyber cops join hands with Meta to save 624 lives in three years

MUMBAI: When a truck driver posted a video on Instagram in mid-2025, the content triggered immediate concern within the Mumbai police's cyber unit. The driver, in his mid-20s, was on the verge of taking a drastic step—he intended to ram his vehicle. When the cyber police reached him through contact information provided by tech company Meta, he was too distraught to speak, responding only with tears.

"Time was critical. The fact that his location was constantly changing indicated he was behind the wheel," said a cyber police officer. The cops meticulously searched through his Instagram profile for a clue and found an image where he was selling ice-cream from a stall. "It was a side-hustle," said the officer. The stall had a phone number mentioned on it. That single lead connected the police to the driver's associate in Rajasthan. While the cyber police kept his associate on the line to ensure the truck was pulled over, they also informed Rajasthan authorities to move in and prevent a tragedy.

Between March 2023 and Dec 2025, a dedicated team of roughly a dozen officers from Mumbai's cyber police saved 624 lives through a vital partnership with Meta, which provided real-time alerts on social media posts from individuals in crisis.

"Every life saved is immensely satisfying," said Purushottam Karad, DCP (cyber). "When Meta alerts us about someone in crisis, our team responds instantly. We track down their location and connect with them either personally or through local authorities. Our officers listen with empathy before convincing the individual that he/ she is not alone and there is always a solution to every problem," Karad said.

In another instance, a minor posted on Instagram expressing his exhaustion with academic pressure from his parents and his intent to resort to a desperate act. With the boy refusing to answer his phone, police used his handset's location to track him to a Bengaluru high rise. Within 30 minutes, Bengaluru police arrived to find him seated on his balcony—his parents entirely unaware of his post or his state of mind. After de-escalating the situation, Bengaluru police counselled the parents on the dangers of excessive academic pressure.

Meta's alerts are not confined to social media posts made from Mumbai; they could be from anywhere in India and at any hour. The police team, headed by senior inspector Suvarna Shinde and comprising sub-inspector Dhanvish Patil and head constable Rajesh Khushlani, operates through a coordinated WhatsApp group. "Once an email or call from Meta comes in, details of the alert are shared on the WhatsApp group and the team splits into specialised roles. While one negotiator speaks with the individual in distress, another tracks their GPS coordinates, and a third coordinates with local authorities on ground," said an officer. In the absence of a phone number, the team relies on IP address analysis to secure a location.

The vast majority of those in crisis are young adults aged 18 to 30, driven to despair largely by unemployment, fractured relationships, domestic turmoil, or harassment.

In mid-Dec last year, a distress alert from Meta led the cyber police to an 18-year-old girl at her breaking point. Devastated after a difficult breakup, she spent an hour on the phone with officers, eventually revealing a deeper history of trauma: she had fled her home following sexual assault by her father and was now living with relatives in Pune. Moved by her story, the police assured they would help her find a job once she finished her education. The police team continues to check in on her and report that she is doing much better.