IT Hub Turns Cyber Crime Hub – Digital Crime Booms In Metropolitan Cities in 2020: New NCRB Data

KOLKATA: The latest government report shows that India recorded 50,035 cases of cybercrime in 2020. The crime graph across the country is rising with a few metropolitan cities recording the highest number of cyber breaches.

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which reports to the Union Home Ministry, designated 19 cities with populations of more than 20 lakh as metropolitan cities in India – Ahmedabad, Bangaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Pune and Surat.

Among these 19 metropolitan cities, Bangalore recorded the highest number of cybercrime cases at 8,892 while Hyderabad had the second-highest number of cases at 2,553.

ALSO READ: 11.8 % Rise in Cyber Crime Cases In India in 2020, Total Cases 50,035: Latest NCRB Data

Since Covid-19, cybercrimes have been at an all-time high globally. A lot of individuals are sitting at home with no work but easier access to an internet connection leading to rising cyber crime.

Among the four major metropolitan cities, Mumbai had the highest number of cases at 2,433 followed by Chennai and Kolkata at 186 and 172 cases. Delhi surprisingly reported the least number of cases at 166.

From the 166 cases reported by Delhi, 12 were related to cyberstalking or bullying of women and children, 6 cases of cheating, 19 of banking fraud and 2 of OTP fraud among others.

Mumbai reported 289 cases of online bank fraud, 57 cases of OTP fraud and 5 cases of fake social media news as well.

Coimbatore took the trophy of reporting the least number of cybercrime cases in 2020 which was only 4.

Cybercrimes are crimes that are associated with an internet connection or any other electronic device. The electronic device might be an instrumental aid used in the crime or the target of the crimes like computer hacking.

Cybercrimes can be of a lot of types like identity theft, cyberstalking, financial fraud, social media fraud, child pornography etc. These crimes can be done within a few clicks and in a few moments which makes it all the more dangerous and terrifying.