Complaint to FIR conversion rate for cyber crimes in Telangana is higher than national average

DGP Ravi Gupta addressing annual round-up in Telangana crimes. (Supplied)

The overall crime rate in Telangana has increased by 8.97 percent in 2023 compared to the previous years.

The highest contributing category is cyber crimes, with a 17.59 percent increase in 2023.

41,511 cases were forwarded from previous years, and 1,38,312 cases were reported during this year 2023 (up to November), making it a total of 1,79,823.

Telangana’s Director General of Police Ravi Gupta said, as he addressed a press conference on Friday, 29 December. He added that the year was busy with Assembly elections, and no major law and order issues were reported.

During this year, the total property lost was ₹151.78 crore, and out of that, ₹80.81 crore (53.82 percent) was recovered, compared to 50 percent last year. Over 1,24,213 (69.07 percent) cases have been disposed of out of 1,79,823 cases, Gupta stated.

Drug cases in Telangana

Concerning drug cases, the DGP warned that anyone engaged in dealing with drugs — be it selling, facilitating, or procuring — shall be dealt with with harsh punishments. “No one will be spared in the drug cases. Anyone allowing drugs into their premises, including bars, pubs, farmhouses, or even private homes, will be dealt with diligently,” he warned.

He also requested parents to keep a tab on their children so that they don’t fall into the drug trap. He requested all educational institutions — both schools and colleges — to be vigilant of their students purchasing and selling drugs on campus.

Talking about policing the drug trade, the DGP said that the police are following a “zero tolerance” policy on this issue and will be extremely tough on those found dealing with narcotics.

When asked about the conviction in drug cases, DGP Gupta said, “There is a 20 percent conviction rate and the investigations in the cases are processing according to the nature of the drug case. There is an Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TSNAB) in Telangana. We are conducting training programmes for our police officers, as investigating a drug case is very different from a normal case. These programmes help our investigating officers from seizures to further investigation.” He added that after the programmes, they are confident that the conviction rate will increase in Telangana.

In 2023, they registered 59 drug cases, arrested 182, and seized contraband worth ₹7.99 crore. A proposal to invoke the Preventive Detention Act against 32 narcotic offenders is underway. 12 foreigners were apprehended in nine Narcotic-Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act cases.

In 2023, 89,783 complaints were received, which is approximately 8 percent of the total complaints received in the country.

Also Read: Rachakonda Police report 6.86% rise in crime in 2023

Cyber crimes in Telangana

A total of 16,339 cyber crime cases were registered in 2023, as against 13,895 in 2022. The cases increased by 18 percent in 2023 over the previous year.

In 2023, over 14,271 FIRs were registered for cyber crimes in Telangana. The conversion rate of complaints to FIRs is much higher than the national average, DGP Gupta said. While 16 percent of complaints were converted to FIRs in Telangana, the country’s average is 2.5 percent.

Approximately ₹133 crore has been frozen in bank accounts belonging to suspects. When compared to the national average, this is 6 percent higher and, in absolute terms, is the highest number. ₹7.71 crore has been refunded to the victims. The rest of the amount is under scrutiny and will be refunded in a phased manner, he assured.

DGP Gupta added that 28,610 SIM cards involved in suspicious transactions have been blocked. “This week, we have also initiated the blocking of IMEI numbers of suspicious devices as well,” he added. Over 342 accused persons belonging to other states have been nabbed by the Telangana police.

In the crime trends, murder for gain, dacoit, burglaries, rioting, child abduction, hurt cases, and cheating have increased, according to the data shared by the Telangana police. Robberies, thefts, rape cases, and culpable homicide incidents have seen a drop in cases.

He said that the CEIR Portal was developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to curb the menace of mobile theft and counterfeit mobile devices. As of 16 December 2023, Telangana stands first in the country in recovering lost or stolen mobiles, with a 33.80 percent success rate. By utilising the CEIR Portal, the state successfully traced 15,004 devices, he said.

At the press conference, DGP Gupta, replying to a query on Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s comments that the previous BRS government bought 22 Toyota Land Cruisers hoping that former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao would come back to power again, said, “Vehicles were purchased as per security requirements.”

Also Read: Lack of bank accounts, ration cards dishearten applicants for 6 Congress guarantees in Telangana

Crime against women

A total of 19,013 cases were registered during the current year 2023, as against 18,075 cases in the previous year 2022. The cases have shown an increase of 5.19 percent during 2023 over the previous year 2022.

Out of 19,013 cases of crimes against women, 2,284 cases were registered under rape, 33 dowry murders, 132 dowry deaths, 9,458 dowry harassment, 213 murder, 5,464 cases for outraging the modesty of women, 884 kidnapping and abduction, 178 bigamy, and 4 Dowry Prohibition Act cases were registered.

There is an increase of 4.27 percent under dowry harassment, a 7.29 percent decrease in bigamy, etc. In 65 cases of crime against women, 73 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 16 dowry death/dowry murder cases, 16 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment. In 4 rape and murder cases, 7 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 3 rape cases, 3 accused was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 35, women murder cases, 37 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 7 women murder for gain cases, 10 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment. Total relief paid in the current year to victims, as of 30 November 2023, is about ₹6.13 crore.