Cyber Fraudsters Impersonate West Tripura DM Dr Vishal Kumar on WhatsApp, Seek Rs 30,000 from Government Officials, Cyber Crime Police Asked to Launch Urgent Probe
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, November 12, 2026
A serious case of alleged cyber fraud and identity theft has surfaced in West Tripura, where an unidentified person is reportedly impersonating District Magistrate and Collector Dr Vishal Kumar, IAS, by using his photograph as a WhatsApp display picture and approaching government officials and employees to solicit money.
Taking the matter seriously, the District Magistrate and Collector, West Tripura, has formally written to the Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime), Tripura Police, requesting an immediate investigation to identify and trace the person operating the fraudulent WhatsApp account and the mobile number being used for the impersonation.
According to an official communication dated November 12, 2026, issued from the Office of the District Magistrate and Collector, West Tripura, the unidentified fraudster has allegedly been using the mobile number 9861732019 to impersonate Dr Vishal Kumar through the WhatsApp messaging platform.
The fraudulent account reportedly carries the District Magistrate's photograph as its display picture, creating the impression that messages are being sent directly by the senior IAS officer.
The matter came to the notice of the District Magistrate after the impersonator allegedly started forwarding WhatsApp messages to various officers and officials of the West Tripura District Administration, including Deputy Collectors and Magistrates (DCMs), Treasury Officers, Block Development Officers (BDOs), other government officials and ministerial staff.
According to the complaint, the impersonator has been soliciting financial assistance of Rs 30,000 from individual recipients, falsely representing himself as the District Magistrate and Collector of West Tripura.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the possibility of government officials and employees becoming victims of targeted cyber fraud through the misuse of the identity and official position of senior administrative officers.
In his communication to the Cyber Crime Police, Dr Vishal Kumar has requested an immediate investigation into the incident, including identification and tracing of the person or persons operating the WhatsApp account and the mobile number used for the alleged impersonation.
The District Magistrate has also requested that the case be accorded urgent priority, considering that his identity and photograph are allegedly being misused to target officers and staff members of the district administration.
Screenshots of WhatsApp messages received by some officials, containing the impersonating profile photograph and demands for financial assistance, have also been enclosed with the complaint as supporting evidence for investigation.
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