Telangana sees drop in crime rate, rise in detection of cases

Telangana crime drops by 4.9% in 2024; DGP emphasizes citizen-centric policing and improved investigation efforts.

Crime in Telangana dropped by 4.9 percent in the second half of 2024 compared to the first half, with most major offences — except burglaries — showing a decline, Director General of CID Shikha Goel revealed during the Half-Yearly Crime Review meeting held at the DGP office on Monday.

Highlighting the improvement in policing outcomes, she noted that the crime detection rate in 2024 stood at 76 percent, significantly higher than the 57 percent recorded in 2023. The disposal rate of undetected (UI) cases also showed a marked rise of 20.49 percent, indicating stronger follow-up and investigation efforts across districts. The review meeting was chaired by Director General of Police (DGP) Jitender, who addressed senior police officials, Commissioners of Police, Superintendents, and other officers from across the State.

Calling for a citizen-centric approach to policing, DGP Jitender emphasised the need to build public trust through visible policing and active community engagement. He urged officers to regularly interact with the public, especially women officers, who were asked to spearhead awareness campaigns on self-development and empowerment.

The DGP also called for more rigorous and sensitive investigations, particularly in cases where the distinction between civil and criminal financial disputes is blurred. Officers were instructed to use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) more effectively to support case resolution.

The meeting saw a series of presentations on varied aspects of policing. Rachakonda Police Commissioner Sudheer Babu presented on visible policing initiatives; Amber Kishore Jha, Commissioner of Police, Ramagundam, shared strategies to improve conviction rates; and Khammam Commissioner Sunil Datt addressed the quality of investigations.

Forensic expert Krupakar Singh of Gandhi Hospital offered insights into medico-legal procedures, while ASP Shubham focused on improving case disposal. Swetha Reddy, DCP CCS, discussed the disposal of long-pending cases, and Vijay Kumar, DCP West Zone, gave an update on tackling cyber crimes. The NATGRID initiative was discussed by CI Cell SP, and Vineeth, DCP Madhapur, detailed the investigation of a recent murder case.

The meeting was attended by senior officials including DG Intelligence B. Shivadhar Reddy, ADGP (Law and Order) Mahesh Bhagwat, ADGP (Technical Services) V.V. Srinivasa Rao, ADGP (Personnel) Anil Kumar, ADGP (TGSP) Sanjay Kumar Jain, and ADGP (Organisation) Swati Lakra. Commissioners Avinash Mohanty (Cyberabad), and other IGs and officers also participated.