Telangana recorded a higher crime rate than Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu in 2023, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data released for 2024.
**Key Findings:**
* **Overall Crimes:** Telangana registered 1.76 lakh cognizable crimes in 2023, compared to 1.61 lakh in 2022, showing a 9.3% increase.
* **Crime Rate per Lakh Population:** Telangana’s crime rate was 350.3 per lakh population, exceeding Maharashtra (266.9), Karnataka (282.8), and Tamil Nadu (296.6). The national average is 300.5.
* **IPC Crimes:** Incidence of Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes rose from 1.47 lakh in 2022 to 1.58 lakh in 2023, a 7.5% increase.
* **Murder Rate:** Telangana recorded 3.2 murders per lakh population, higher than Maharashtra (2.6), Karnataka (2.7), and Tamil Nadu (2.8). A total of 363 murder cases were reported.
* **Suicides:** 3,839 suicides were reported in Telangana, with daily wage labourers accounting for the highest number (26.9%).
* **Cybercrime:** Cybercrime cases increased significantly, from 1,288 in 2022 to 2,343 in 2023, a rise of 81.7%. Most cybercrime cases related to cheating with intent of deception.
* **Crimes Against Women:** Cases of crimes against women increased from 17,498 in 2022 to 19,182 in 2023, a 9.6% increase. Cruelty by husband or relatives accounted for the majority.
* **Dowry Deaths:** 146 dowry death cases were reported.
* **Property Crimes:** Property crimes, including burglary, theft, and robbery, also saw an increase.
* **Road Accidents:** Telangana reported 6,842 road accident deaths in 2023, a slight decrease from 7,093 in 2022.
The report highlights a concerning trend of rising crime rates in Telangana compared to other major South and West Indian states. The increase in cybercrime and crimes against women are particularly noteworthy areas of concern.
