Don’t delay complaints, Telangana DGP Shivadhar Reddy warns as cyber frauds spike

Hyderabad: With cyber frauds witnessing a sharp rise, Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B Shivadhar Reddy, IPS, has urged citizens to remain vigilant and report incidents immediately. He said that timely complaints significantly improve chances of recovering lost money and catching offenders.

Chairing a high-level review meeting at the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate on Sunday, the DGP reviewed crime trends, traffic management and cybercrime patterns with senior officials.

Cyber frauds surge across categories

Officials highlighted a worrying increase in cybercrimes, particularly part-time job scams, trading frauds, smishing, vishing calls, and ‘digital arrest’ scams.

Cyber Crime DCP Sai Manohar noted that financial losses in such cases are substantial, with scammers constantly evolving new tactics to target unsuspecting victims.

Police advised citizens to avoid clicking on unknown links, ignore suspicious calls or messages and thoroughly verify platforms before making investments.

Immediate reporting key to recovery

The DGP stressed that victims must report cyber fraud without delay through helplines or the cybercrime portal. Quick reporting enables police to freeze transactions and enhances the chances of recovering lost funds.

Concern over road accident fatalities

Apart from cybercrime, the DGP expressed concern over the high number of deaths among two-wheeler riders and pedestrians. He directed officials to intensify road safety awareness campaigns from April 13 to 18 under the ‘Arrive Alive’ initiative.

Highlighting that many victims are primary earners aged between 42 and 45, he called for stricter enforcement against violations like wrong-side driving and urged motorists to adopt defensive driving practices.

22 lakh vehicles travel daily via Cyberabad IT corridor

Traffic officials reported that nearly 22 lakh vehicles ply daily in the Cyberabad IT corridor, increasing to 26 lakh during festivals, with a 20–25 per cent surge during peak periods. Monitoring has been strengthened through cameras at key junctions, along with enforcement drives and public awareness programmes.

Cyberabad police focus on prevention

Cyberabad Police Commissioner Dr M Ramesh said the commissionerate, which includes major hubs like the Financial District and IT Corridor, continues to prioritise public safety through coordinated policing and community engagement.

He also emphasised the need to prevent youth, especially in vulnerable areas, from falling into crime, with support from NGOs and outreach programmes.

Comprehensive crime review conducted

DCP (Crimes) Mutyam Reddy presented data on various offences, including murders, rapes, thefts, assaults, and snatchings. Police reiterated their focus on awareness, preventive policing and stricter enforcement to curb crime.

Senior officials from multiple divisions, including traffic, cybercrime and special branches, participated in the review meeting.