Cybercrimes up by 18 pc in Telangana

Hyderabad: Cybercrimes in Telangana State have shown a significant increase of 18 per cent with 1,14,174 complaints of cyber frauds reported at National Crime Reporting Portal facility from Telangana State in 2024 of 91,652 complaints in previous year. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau refunded an amount of Rs 176,71,74,933 to the victims this year by creating an SOP in collaboration with Telangana State Legal Services Authority (TGLSA).

Presenting a report on Cyber Crimes in state, Shikha Goel, Director, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) said the bureau has taken up various steps this year to help victims of Cyber Crimes as well as to crack down on Cyber Criminals with the operationalized seven Cyber Crime Police Stations at Warangal, Khammam, Karimnagar, Siddipet, Ramagundam, Nizamabad Commissionerate and one CCPS at the Bureau HeadQuarters with statewide jurisdiction.

She said “A total of 519 cybercrime cases were registered and 186 accused have been arrested since then. In TGCSB 1930 Call Centre, with proactive measure, a total of Rs 244,56,68,250 amount was withheld as compared to Rs 127 crore in 2023 and refunded Rs 176,71,74,933 to 17,411 victims as compared to Rs 8,36,13,059 to 1,830 victims,” she added.

Shikha Goel said “Telangana stands among the top 5 states in the conversion of cybercrime complaints to FIRs. 24,643 FIRs were registered this year as compared to 16,339 FIRs in 2023. A total of 1,057 Cyber Criminals involved in 19,653 cases in Telangana were arrested. These arrested persons were involved in 1,16,421 cases across the country.”

As per the report, the TGCSB also directly arrested 186 Cyber Criminals who were involved in 94 cases of TGCSB CCPSs, 823 cases in other Police Stations of Telangana, and 3,637 cases across the country. Further, 262 PT warrants were executed this year. The bureau formed joint teams to execute PT warrants outside the state.

In 2024, a total of 20,677 Cybercrime and Cyber Hygiene awareness campaigns both in physical and online mode were conducted by TGCSB across the state. TGCSB has conducted its first-ever interstate operation at Jaipur, Jodhpur and Nagaur in Rajasthan and arrested a total of 27 Cyber Offenders who were involved in 189 cases of Telangana and 2,223 cases across the country.

Shikha Goel said “In Telangana, TGCSB has conducted a major operation in different parts of the state in coordination with local police and arrested 48 cyber criminals who were involved in 508 cases across Telangana and 2,194 cases across the country.”

To curb the misuse of SIM cards and mobile phones, the TGCSB blocked 14,984 SIM cards and 9,811 IMEIs of mobile phones. Also, 1,825 URLs/Websites were blocked in 2024 as compared to 24,227 SIM cards, 181 IMEIs and 2,202 URLs/Websites in the year 2023.

The Bureau had contributed to I4C, MHA's Centralized Portal SAMANWAY in building the Crime Analysis Module. The Union Home Minister Amit Shah recognized the Bureau's contribution and awarded commendations to the Director TGCSB Shikha Goel, IPS, DGP and SP Cybercrime Operations, TGCSB, Devender Singh.