Cybercrimes up 17% in TS in 2023
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Hyderabad: The overall crime rate in Telangana increased by 8.97 per cent during 2023, mainly due to 17.59 per cent rise in cybercrimes, Director General of Police Ravi Gupta said on Friday. The number of cybercrimes increased to 16,339 in 2023 against 13,895 cases registered in the previous year.
Releasing the annual report of the state police, he stated that the police face two challenges in the form of drug menace and increasing cybercrimes. “The government has been very supportive by strengthening the two new wings, which will exclusively deal with these problems. Recently ADG level officers have been posted to these wings and the process of strengthening these wings has begun,” he said.
The DGP made it clear that the police will be extremely tough with those dealing with drugs.
“A zero tolerance policy shall be followed as far as drugs are concerned. Anyone engaged in drugs dealing whether selling, purchasing, facilitating, possessing drugs shall be dealt with strictly as per applicable laws of the land,” he said adding that anyone allowing their premises where drugs can be used or available will also be severely dealt with.
The DGP appealed to parents to keep a watch on the activities of their children and see they do not fall into this trap. “I also request educational institutions to be vigilant regarding sale and purchase of drugs in and around their institutions.”
On cybercrimes, he said that the Telangana police has been a pioneer in establishing an exclusive cyber security bureau, making it the only agency of its kind in the country to combat all types of cybercrimes and threats to cyber security. Its mission is to protect citizens and institutions from malicious cyber-attacks.
“We were also the first to have a dedicated call centre for 1930, the national helpline for cybercrimes and also Telangana Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (T4C). Since the establishment of the bureau we have received almost 90,000 complaints. We have registered 14,000 FIRs and frozen Rs 133 crore belonging to the accused. We have also blocked almost 30,000 SIMs used by offenders,” he said.
From this week the police have also started blocking IMEI numbers of suspicious numbers. For the convenience of the public, SMS service has also started for 1930.
