Agartala, 12th November 2026 : A cyber fraud attempt involving the impersonation of West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Dr. Vishal Kumar, IAS, has come to light after an unidentified person allegedly used his photograph as a WhatsApp display picture to solicit money from government officials and employees.
Taking serious note of the incident, the District Magistrate and Collector has written to the Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime), Tripura Police, seeking an immediate investigation to identify and trace the person involved in the alleged impersonation.
According to the complaint dated November 12, the unidentified individual has been operating through WhatsApp using mobile number 9861732019, falsely presenting himself as Dr. Vishal Kumar, District Magistrate and Collector of West Tripura.
The impersonator reportedly sent WhatsApp messages to several 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, seeking financial assistance of Rs 30,000 from individual recipients.
The complaint stated that the accused was unlawfully using the District Magistrate’s photograph as his WhatsApp display picture to establish credibility and mislead government employees into believing that the requests were genuine.
Describing the matter as serious, Dr. Vishal Kumar has requested the Cyber Crime Police to initiate an immediate investigation, identify the person operating the WhatsApp account and trace the mobile number being used for the alleged fraudulent activities.
He has also urged the authorities to accord the matter urgent priority, pointing out that his identity and photograph are being misused to target officers and staff of the district administration.
Screenshots of the alleged impersonating WhatsApp messages, including the profile photograph and requests for financial assistance, have also been submitted to the Cyber Crime Police as supporting evidence.
The complaint has been forwarded to the Director General of Police, Tripura, for information, while the Superintendent of Police, West Tripura District, has also been requested to extend necessary coordination in the investigation.
