Visakhapatnam: Cyber crime cases have decreased in Andhra Pradesh in 2014 compared to the previous year, according to the latest findings of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Vizag recorded the highest number of cyber crimes in the state. While 651 cases of cyber crimes were registered in the state in 2013, the number declined to 282 in 2014. But, 197 (70 per cent) cyber crime cases were registered in Vizag city (both under Information and Technology Act 2000 and IPC).
The NCRB report says there was a slight decline in cyber crime as 236 people were arrested in 2014, while the number was 313 in 2013 in the state. However, it is interesting to note that 89 cyber crime cases registered in the state are under Section 66 A of the IT Act, which has now been struck down by the SC.
Cyber crimes are increasing alarmingly in Vizag city, but Vizag doesn’t have a full fledged cyber crime police station and cyber forensic laboratory. Though Vizag has only Cyber Crime Investigation Cell (CCIC), which functions under the Crime Branch, due to lack of trained hands in the cell, the cops are finding it difficult to crack cyber cases fast.
“In 2011, we had about 105 cases, in 2012 it was 154, in 2013 it was 148, in 2014 it was 197 and this year so far 168 cases have been registered,” SI K. Satyanarana Rao said.
Leading the list of offences in Vizag are online job and lottery frauds with 85 cases, followed by e-mail and Facebook abuse with 58 cases, 29 cases of phishing and vishing and 7 cases of Nigerian frauds in 2014.
The accused in the e-mail and Facebook abuse cases were reportedly friends of the complainants (mostly women) and they committed the crimes to take revenge on them for refusing marriage proposals or sexual favours.
Most of the offenders were educated professionals. City police chief Amit Garg said that Vi-zag will get a full-fledged cyber crime police station soon as state government has approved the proposal of Vizag police to set up the cyber police station in the city.
