Cuttack, Nov. 18: Four new cyber police stations - one each in Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Berhampur - will be set up shortly.

The crime branch today organised a training programme for the police personnel to train officers, so that they do not hesitate in taking up the cyber crime cases. What has emerged as a major concern is that the cyber crime cases are not entertained at the police station levels. This year, not a single case was registered by either Berhampur or Rourkela police. Besides, remote areas such as Kandhamal, Nuapada and Kalahandi have also started reporting the ATM fraud cases, official sources said.

At present, there is only one dedicate cyber crime police station that is functioning from Odisha police headquarters in Cuttack.

"The proposals for setting up four new units is pending with the state government, and we hope that they will come up shortly," said director-general of police K.B. Singh.

Addressing the training programme, additional director-general of police (crime branch) B.K. Sharma admitted that there had been a significant rise in the cyber crime cases across the state.

"According to the midyear review conducted in June, it was observed that as many as 20 to 30 cyber crime cases were being registered by the end of 2013 while the number is likely to cross 400 this year in the state," said Sharma.

Sharma said that in a bid to assist police officials to take up the cyber crime cases, a dedicated lab would also be set up in Bhubaneswar. It will function from the existing state forensic laboratory.

"The laboratory is expected to start operations by March 2016 and it will be a significant boost to the existing infrastructure," Sharma said.

Since only an inspector-rank officer can probe a cyber crime case under the Information Technology Act, stress is now being given on training of sub-inspectors so that they can assist their seniors in cracking such cases.

The training programme's aim is to ensure that the police officers have basic knowledge about cyber crime, how to take up investigation, collect evidences and book the culprits.

<>A senior official said a clear instruction had already been issued to police superintendents in all the 560 police stations to lodge cyber crime cases without transferring them to the one in Cuttack.