Criminal cases dip in Hyderabad, cyber crimes shoot up in 2013

Hyderabad, There has been a dip in number of criminal cases registered under IPC and SLL (Special and Local Laws) during 2013 in Hyderabad City, which saw 18,013 cases as compared to 18,744 cases during 2012, city Police Commissioner said Saturday.

However, crimes against women and cyber crimes rose in 2013. The year 2013 has been a year of challenges for Hyderabad Police.

'There had been several meetings, besides protests (series of pro and anti-Telangana agitations) in Hyderabad which posed a challenge for the city police, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma said.

The ultimate aim was to maintain law and order in the state capital and with lot of efforts and team work we have been able to maintain that, Sharma told reporters as part of the annual press conference.

Crime prevention and detection during 2013 was good. Though, offences of murder for gain, murder, snatching, kidnapping and rape increased, dacoity, robbery, house burglary and automobile theft cases decreased, Sharma said.

Cyber crimes showed almost 350 per cent increase with 47 cases in 2012 to 162 cases this year. Similarly, crimes against women rose to 2,124 in 2013 compared to 1,823 in the previous year, the Hyderabad Police chief said.

Hyderabad City again came under terror attack this year on February 21 with two blasts killing 17 persons and injuring over 100 at Dilsukhnagar here, he said.

The officer pointed out that this case was cracked by NIA with the arrest of Asadullah Akhtar alias 'Haddi' and IM's co-founder Yasin Bhatkal.

However, three other accused including Pakistan-based Riyaz Bhatkal and two others Tahsen Akhtar and Iqbal Bhatkal were absconding.

80 accused, including three foreigners, were arrested in connection with 40 NDPS cases registered this year, and 72 grams of cocaine and 100 grams of brown sugar and other contraband were seized from them, the senior police officer said. 

Replying to a query on an incident in which some young people were seen in a video clip doing sit-ups against the backdrop of Golconda Fort and Qutub Shahi Tombs here recently in the presence of police, the Hyderabad Police Commissioner said he did not support the action of one Inspector who had allegedly engaged in moral policing.

No, Sharma said in reply to a query if he supports the act by the Inspector in connection with this incident.

Police should act as per law morally whatever may be your stand. While one is working in police department we are bound by law and we should go by law and we will go by law, Sharma added.