The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has decided to deactivate more than 2.7 million SIM cards in Bihar over the next three months in a major crackdown on cybercrime. Out of these 2.7 million SIMs, over 0.3 million belong to government-run telecom companies and more than 2.4 million have been issued by private telecom service providers.
The new DoT guidelines primarily affect customers with more than nine SIM cards. Users exceeding this limit must inform their telecom operators and choose nine active SIMs within the stipulated period. If they fail to do so, their tenth SIM will be automatically deactivated. The move came in response to escalating cyber fraud cases across Bihar.
The government hopes that limiting the number of SIM cards per user will help curb cybercrime significantly. Telecom operators have been directed to inform affected users about the new rule. Meanwhile, several districts in Bihar, including Nawada, Nalanda, Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Lakhisarai, and Munger, have gained notoriety for cyber fraud operations. Cybercriminals from these areas use fraudulent SIMs to scam people, making Bihar one of the states most affected by digital fraud.
The government’s SIM regulation policy is expected to reduce cyber fraud cases in Bihar, ensuring better accountability in mobile connections and prevent misuse of multiple SIM cards for illegal activities. The DoT is working closely with telecom operators to implement the new policy smoothly.
