Hyderabad: Telangana witnessed a 49% rise in cybercrime cases in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on Wednesday night. Overall crime also increased by 18% in the state and 17% in Hyderabad.
Cybercrime Surge Driven by Fraud and Extortion
The NCRB data reveals that cybercrimes in the state were largely driven by motives such as fraud, cheating, extortion, and sexual exploitation. Officials noted that the increase in cybercrime cases, along with a rise in crimes against women and children, contributed significantly to the overall uptick in crime across Telangana.
In 2024, Telangana police registered 27,230 cybercrime cases, up from 18,236 cases in 2023. However, Hyderabad recorded a 17% decline in cybercrime cases during the same period.
Breakdown by Motive and Nature of Offences
NCRB classified cybercrime cases under 16 specific motives and detailed the nature of offences committed. According to the data, 21,987 cases were registered where the primary intention of the accused was to commit fraud. Other motives included extortion (414 cases), sexual exploitation, political motives (55 cases), personal revenge (36), disruption of public services (46), and piracy (14).
In terms of the nature of offences, fraud accounted for the largest share with 18,922 cases. Other major categories included online gaming-related offences (951 cases), fraudulent telephone calls (953), cyber blackmailing (220), and cyber stalking (298).
Investigative Challenges and Arrests
The data also highlighted the growing burden on investigators. By 2024, police were already handling 15,738 pending cybercrime cases in addition to newly registered complaints. Final reports were filed in 16,084 cases, many categorised as "true but insufficient evidence", "untraced", or "no clue" cases. Chargesheets were filed in only 3,177 cases, including those carried forward from previous years.
Police arrested 2,171 individuals for their alleged involvement in cybercrime cases. Based on information gathered during investigations, authorities identified the motives behind the offences. In the chargesheets filed, a total of 4,359 persons were cited as accused.
The NCRB report underscores the escalating challenge of cybercrime in Telangana, with fraud dominating the landscape and law enforcement grappling with a high volume of pending cases.
