Tech-Driven Policing: Andhra Pradesh's Battle Against Rising Cybercrime

Andhra Pradesh's crime rate dropped 5.7% as DGP Dwaraka Tirumala Rao noted a surge in cybercrime, crimes against property, and narcotics-related incidents. Technological advancements, including AI and drone deployment, contributed to crime detection, while cybercrime saw a 34% rise with significant financial losses reported.

Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Director General of Police in Andhra Pradesh, reported a notable 5.7% decline in overall crime, offset by a sharp rise in cybercrime over the past year. Addressing the media, Rao highlighted that cybercrime, property crimes, and narcotics cases have been on the rise.

Despite this, the police force achieved significant success in crime detection, heavily utilizing technology such as AI and drones. The number of registered cybercrime cases jumped to 916 in 2024, a 34% increase from the previous year, resulting in substantial financial losses across the state.

Rao underscored the importance of continued technology investment, including AI-assisted investigation and extensive CCTV networks, to enhance policing efforts. He stressed that the technology-driven approach has already yielded results, notably in traffic management and solving highly complex cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)