Cybercrime Cited As Main Offence in Andhra Pradesh

 Visakhapatnam: Cyber crime emerged as the most prevalent criminal act in Andhra Pradesh -- with 2,341 cases reported in 2023, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report released a day ago has said.

Sexual harassment through electronic means recorded the highest among cyber crime motives. with registration of 1,334 cases. Fraud cases followed with 329 incidents, while cyber-enabled abetment-to-suicide led to registration of 126 cases.

Other offences included online piracy (88 cases) and psycho/pervert activities (63 cases).

The state police arrested 44 persons in cyber crime cases during the year, while 181 individuals were charge-sheeted. Under the IT Act, the breakdown included 395 cheating cases, 67 OTP fraud cases and 23 fraud cases.

The investigation backlog remains substantial with 4,381 cases pending from the previous year. Combined with the 2,341 new cases in 2023, the total cases for investigation reached 6,725.

Crimes against senior citizens: Some 2,374 such cases were “under investigation” by year's end, while the police disposed of 1,615 such cases. The conviction rate in such cases stood at 15.6 per cent. Of 5,440 total cases for trial, 71 convictions were secured, while 383 persons were acquitted.

Some 1,038 persons were arrested for crimes against senior citizens, but only 19 males were convicted. No female offenders faced conviction.

Murder motives varied across the state. Love affairs accounted for 453 cases, followed by family disputes (218 cases) and petty quarrels (133 cases). Land disputes led to 70 murders, while money disputes accounted for 28 cases. One honor killing was recorded during the year.

Crimes against women” The police disposed of 2,854 cases, with a chargesheeting rate of 91.3 per cent. However, 2,695 cases remained under investigation, resulting in a 48.5 per cent pendency rate.

As for crimes against children, 5,553 cases were pending at the end of 2023.

Economic crimes registered significant numbers. Under the Benami Transaction Prohibition Act, 7,376 incidents were reported, with a rate of 13.9, while violations under the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act led to registration of 4,775 cases.

Liquor and narcotics offences totaled 13,882. The Prohibition Act was invoked in 1,731 cases, followed by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act involving 989 incidents and the Excise Act used in the filing of 742 cases.

Andhra Pradesh reported one death in police lockup in 2023. A custodial crime case was registered but no convictions were secured. Additionally, 131 cases were registered against the state police personnel during the year.

Total IPC crime cases reported in 2023 stood at 30,426. Police disposed of 35,425 cases during the year, achieving a chargesheeting rate of 97.8 per cent. However, 153,867 cases remained under investigation, resulting in a 41.2 per cent pendency rate.

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Andhra Pradesh ranks 10th among Indian states in total reported crimes; 10th in IPC crimes; 11th in crime against women; 12th in murder cases; seventh in kidnapping and abduction cases; eighth in economic offences; and 10th in overall crime.