Denizens lost Rs 232 cr as Cyberabad sees sharp rise in cybercrimes

Hyderabad: There was almost four-fold increase in terms of loss of money due to online fraud this year under the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate, when compared to 2022. While the total amount lost was Rs 66.66 cr in 2022, this year it was reported a sharp spike and stood at Rs 232.34 cr. Out of the total amount lost, only Rs 46 cr could be recovered or frozen.

Addressing the annual press meet, Cyberabad CP Avinash Mohanty informed that there has been a slight overall increase in crimes this year, incidents of rape have decreased. Similarly, incidents of road accidents, kidnappings, robberies, and murder increased this year compared to last year.

A total of 5,342 cases were registered by Cyber Crime police station. From these 168 cases were detected and 339 accused persons were arrested. The accused involved in different major cases were arrested from Surat, Gujarat & Mumbai, Maharashtra (for advertisement fraud), from Tirupati, AP (for loan fraud), from New Delhi (for loan fraud), from Kolkata, West Bengal (dating fraud) and from Delhi NCR, Bihar & UP (for data theft).

Under the commissionerate, the crime against women was brought down from total 2,489 cases reported in 2022 to 2,356 reported this year. Similarly, total cases of weaker sections (SCs/STs) were also reduced from 158 to 133 and also road accidents brought down from 3224 to 3143 respectively.

However, the total reported cases stood at 29,156 out of which 11,506 are under investigation. Comparatively it was 27,322 and 8129 respectively in 2022.

The detection rate has touched 63.53 percent this year, when compared to 58.60 per cent last year. A total of 24.9 cr worth property was lost out of which property of Rs 17.9 cr was recovered by police this year. With a total of 10 murders recorded this year, the total number of cognizable offences including CrPC proceeding cases were 29,156. When compared in 2022 it stood at 27,322. She Teams apprehended 2,587 persons in day and night decoy operations and counselled 3,032 respondents in 66 sessions. 88 FIRs were filed and the accused were arrested. 2,580 petty cases were booked and 9 child marriages were stopped. Online decoy operations were taken out and 11 people were arrested.

Operation Smile and Muskaan are designed to identify missing children, child labour, bonded labour, begging, rag picking and trafficking children, rescue them and reunite them with their families. This year, 1,347 operations were carried out, and 1,829 children were rescued.