KATHMANDU, July 12

Police arrested Krishna Urau, 25, of Simariya-8, Sunsari, currently residing in Koteshwor, on the charge of mentally torturing one of his female friends by hacking her Facebook account and posting lewd messages and contact numbers on the social networking site on Friday.

Earlier on July 8, police had held Rahul Balmiki, who had hacked Facebook accounts of more than 40 women and posted obscene images and sent lewd messages to blackmail the victims. Balmiki, 23, of Nepalgunj-12, Banke, who was arrested in his home district, was brought to Kathmandu for further investigation.

A choreographer by profession, he had hacked Facebook accounts of more than 40 women, especially those who aspired to become models. His intention was to blackmail them. Some victims are said to be his students. These two incidents are just the tip of the iceberg.

According to Metropolitan Police Crime Division, which handles cases of cyber crime, bringing the guilty to book is next to impossible for the police unless a victim categorically identifies the suspect in a complaint.

“Cyber crime is a tough nut to crack for police and of late it is on the rise, posing a threat to peoples’ personal security, dignity and identity,” SSP Sarbendra Khanal, MPCD in-charge, said.

Any person involved in cyber crime is liable to Rs 100,000 in fine or five years in jail or both under Article 47 of the Electronic Transaction Act, 2008.

A data maintained by the MPCD said police have handled as many as 27 cases of cyber crimes so far this fiscal compared to 20 in the last fiscal year in Kathmandu Valley.

Crimes related to social networking sites accounted for the largest number of cases.

Cases of website hacking, SMS threats and copyright have also been reported.