Hyderabad, Dec 29 (IANS) Telangana recorded 43.33 per cent increase in cybercrimes during 2024 while the overall crime rate has jumped by 22.53 per cent.
A total of 25,184 cybercrime cases were reported during 2024 as against 17,571 cases in 2023.
The state reported 1,69,477 cognizable crimes from January to November against 1,38,312 cognizable crimes last year.
Director General of Police Dr Jitender on Sunday released the annual report of the police department, which revealed an increase in crimes like murders, rapes, cheating, robbery and burglary.
Referring to cybercrimes, the police chief said Rs 180 crore was traced and refunded to victims in 2024 compared to Rs 8 crore in 2023. He stated that there was an increase of 2,060 per cent.
The DGP said Rs 247 crore was put on hold/freeze in 2024 as compared to Rs 128 crore in 2023.
The police also blocked 14,984 SIMS, 9,811 IMEIs and 1,825 URLs/websites of cyber offenders during the year.
The DGP said law and order was maintained well in the State, with effective checks on violent crimes, and activities of Maoist, communal and terror outfits.
The Maoist activities remained largely under check. He claimed that police succeeded in countering the nefarious designs of the CPI (Maoist) to form small action teams and commit offences in the State, which resulted in four exchanges of fire, neutralising 14 extremists and seizure of 24 firearms in Telangana.
The police chief said 85 extremists were arrested and they included one Special Zonal Committee Member of CPI (Maoist), one State Committee Member and one State Committee Secretary of CPI (ML) ND. He said 41 extremists surrendered.
The DGP said the government was giving the highest priority to control of narcotics and wants to make it a zero drug availability state. Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) was established to combat drug trafficking comprehensively, including cultivation, production, transportation, smuggling, sale, purchase, possession or consumption of psychotropic substances, drugs and narcotics.
TGANB registered 1942 drug cases, arrested 4,682 persons and seized drugs worth Rs 142.95 crore and orders were obtained from the Competent Authority (SAFEMA) for freezing of properties worth Rs 55.8 crore of accused involved in 10 NDPS Act cases. The process is on to obtain freezing orders in 122 cases.
The police chief also noted that there was a smooth transition into the new criminal law regime with effect from July 1, 2024: The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) has been updated to align with the new criminal laws. Telangana became the first state in the country to issue a digitally signed FIR copy under the new laws.
A total of 85,190 cases were booked under New Criminal Laws from July 1 to November 30. These include 15,360 cases in Cyberabad, 10,501 in Hyderabad and 10,271 cases in Rachakonda. As many as 1,313 zero FIRs were booked as per provisions of new criminal laws.
–IANS
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