Cybercrime Surge: A 31% Rise in Alarming Cases

Cyber crimes surged by 31% in 2023, reaching 86,420 cases, a stark rise from 65,983 in 2022, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. The crime rate per lakh population grew from 4.8 in 2022 to 6.2 this year, driven primarily by fraud, sexual exploitation, and extortion.

In Telangana, 18,236 cybercrime cases were recorded with a concerning crime rate of 47, followed by Karnataka with 21,889 instances and a rate of 32.3. The states also led in fake news dissemination on social media, according to NCRB data.

Major metropolitan areas reported 33,955 cybercrime cases, marking a 39% increase over 2022. Cyberbullying, blackmailing, and the circulation of explicit material significantly contributed to this rise.

(With inputs from agencies.)