Cyber stalking is a crime in India. BNS s.78 punishes a man who monitors a woman's internet or electronic communication or keeps contacting her despite clear disinterest, and other BNS and IT Act sections cover threats, defamation and image abuse against anyone. Preserve evidence, block and report on the platform, and complain on cybercrime.gov.in or to the police.
Key takeaways
- Stalking, including online monitoring, is an offence under BNS s.78 (earlier IPC 354D).
- Men and others harassed online are protected by other BNS and IT Act sections.
- Save evidence before you block: screenshots with dates, profile links and message exports.
- Police, not victims, identify an anonymous stalker through lawful requests to platforms.
- If you feel physically unsafe, call 112; women can also call 181.
When does online behaviour become cyber stalking?
A single rude comment is not stalking. Cyber stalking is a pattern: someone repeatedly contacts, watches or targets you online after you have made it clear you do not want it. Common forms include:
- Messages, calls or friend requests that continue after you said no or blocked them.
- New accounts created each time you block one.
- Commenting on or tracking everything you post, check in or like, and letting you know they are watching.
- Contacting your family, friends or employer to talk about you.
- Threats, sharing your personal details (doxxing) or posting edited images.
Harassment by an ex-partner often mixes online and offline behaviour: turning up where you are, or knowing things they should not know. If you suspect your phone or car is being tracked, see our guides on checking your phone for spyware or tracking and finding a GPS tracker in a car.
If you feel unsafe right now
Online stalking sometimes comes before physical danger, especially from former partners. If someone threatens to hurt you, shows up at your home or workplace, or seems to know your real-time location, treat it as a safety issue first and an online issue second.
- Call 112 in an emergency. Women can call the 181 helpline for support.
- Tell a trusted person, and vary routines for a while.
- If the stalker is a husband, former husband or partner you lived with, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 lets a magistrate pass protection orders, including against contacting you.
What are the online harassment laws in India?
| Behaviour | Law that usually applies |
|---|---|
| A man repeatedly contacting a woman despite clear disinterest, or monitoring her internet, email or electronic communication | BNS s.78, stalking (earlier IPC 354D) |
| Threats to harm you, your reputation or your family | BNS s.351, criminal intimidation |
| Words, sounds, gestures or objects meant to insult a woman's modesty | BNS s.79 |
| False posts damaging your reputation | BNS s.356, defamation |
| Fake profile pretending to be you, or misuse of your password | IT Act s.66C and s.66D |
| Sharing private images without consent | IT Act s.66E; s.67 and 67A for obscene or sexually explicit material; BNS s.77 for voyeurism |
| Demanding money or favours with threats | BNS s.308, extortion |
Punishment: under BNS s.78, a first conviction for stalking can mean imprisonment of up to three years and a fine, and a repeat conviction up to five years and a fine. Note that s.78 is written for a man stalking a woman. Men and people of any gender who are harassed online can still use the other sections in the table.
When the harassment involves intimate images or blackmail, also read our guides on sextortion and deepfake and morphed photo abuse, which cover image removal in detail.
How to prove cyber stalking: preserving evidence
Stalking cases are won on pattern. One message proves little; fifty messages over three months, after you clearly said stop, prove a great deal. Before you block or report anyone, collect:
- Screenshots that show date, time and the sender's username or number, not just the message text.
- Profile links (URLs) of every account used, because usernames can be changed but the link or account ID helps police.
- Chat exports from WhatsApp or Telegram, and email headers for harassing emails.
- A dated log in a notebook or document: what happened, on which platform, and any offline incidents.
- Proof you said no: the message where you asked them to stop, or the date you blocked them.
- Witnesses: friends or family who received messages about you.
Store copies in at least two places, such as cloud storage and a pen drive. When the case reaches court, electronic records generally need a certificate under BSA s.63 (earlier Evidence Act s.65B); our guide on whether WhatsApp chats are valid evidence explains this.
How to report online harassment in India
- Report and block on the platform. Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, WhatsApp and others all have harassment reporting. Report the account first, then block, so the platform has the record. Under India's IT Rules, platforms must have a grievance officer and act on complaints within set timelines.
- File on cybercrime.gov.in. The portal has a section for women and child related crimes, which allows reporting with privacy safeguards, and a general section for other cyber crimes.
- Go to the police station or cyber cell with your evidence and ask for an FIR. Stalking and intimidation complaints that disclose a cognizable offence must be registered. You can file a Zero FIR at any police station.
- Women can also approach the National Commission for Women (ncw.nic.in) or their State Commission.
- At work or college? If the harasser is a colleague, the employer's Internal Committee under the POSH Act can act; see our guide to the POSH complaint process.
How is an anonymous cyber stalker identified?
Many victims already know or strongly suspect who is behind the harassment. Where they do not, identification is done by the police, who can lawfully ask platforms and telecom companies for account and log-in details. Victims should not try to hack, trap or "trace" an account themselves; that can be illegal and can damage your case.
What helps the police is your evidence of links between accounts: the same writing style, the same photos, accounts appearing right after you block another, or knowledge only one person could have. Our guide on finding who is behind a fake account explains the unmasking process for a single profile.
A private investigator can lawfully help by organising evidence, analysing open-source information and, where safe and lawful, confirming offline facts such as whether a suspect has been seen near your home. A verified investigator on Hire Your Detective works only within these limits.
What should you avoid while dealing with a stalker?
- Do not engage or argue. Replies often encourage the stalker and can be twisted later.
- Do not threaten back or post about them publicly; it may expose you to a defamation or counter-complaint.
- Do not delete your messages or account before saving evidence.
- Do not pay or meet to "settle" things, especially if images are involved.
- Tighten privacy settings: hide your friend list, turn off location tags, and review who can message you.
Bottom line
Cyber stalking is a criminal offence, and the pattern you document is your strongest weapon. Save dated evidence before blocking, report on the platform and on cybercrime.gov.in, and ask the police for an FIR when the behaviour continues or turns threatening. Put your physical safety first and call 112 if you are in danger.
Sources & official links
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change, and every case is different — speak to a lawyer about your situation. In an emergency, call 112.