Cybercrimes against women in Maharashtra have surged from 418 cases in 2015 to a staggering 1845 in 2024, exposing a digital nightmare of blackmail, stalking, bullying, and the circulation of obscene content. Despite this alarming rise, the justice system has completely failed to keep pace — charge sheet filing has dropped from nearly 57 per cent in 2015 to 0 per cent in 2023 and 2024, while trial initiation and conviction rates have also collapsed.

This breakdown in the justice delivery system not only emboldens perpetrators but also renders women-centric government campaigns like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and Ladki Bahin Yojana ineffective in the digital age.

Offences range from cyberstalking, morphing, and defamation to hosting obscene material and creating fake profiles. While Maharashtra is one of India's most technologically advanced states, it is facing a shadow pandemic that threatens the freedom and dignity of women both online and offline.