Rural, Semi-Urban Areas Record Sharpest Rise As India Sees Over 400% Uptick In Cyber Crimes
According to officials, the explosion in cases can be traced to rapid smartphone adoption, growing use of UPI and online banking, and a lack of basic cybersecurity knowledge
India has witnessed an alarming 400 per cent spike in cybercrime incidents over the past four years, marking a dramatic shift from urban-centric threats to a deeply entrenched nationwide cybercrime web.
States like Telangana, Gujarat, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha have emerged as unexpected hotspots—away from metros—reflecting the rapid digital infiltration and rising vulnerabilities across rural and semi-urban India with the highest growth in cases reported.
According to the official data of Ministry of Home Affairs, earlier, the concerns were attached to urban areas, primarily metropolitan cities.
But, with unexpected surges in rural and semi-urban states such as Bihar, Odisha, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh, the concerns and cyber crime have grown pan India, spreading its network of victims.
Data compiled by the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) shows that the total number of cyber-crime incidents reported in the country rose from 4,52,429 in 2021 to 22,68,346 in 2024. In just the first half of 2025 alone, 12,47,393 cases have already been logged, putting India on course to surpass last year's record by a significant margin. This explosion in numbers—an approximate 401 per cent increase from 2021 to 2024—marks one of the most aggressive digital crime growth rates globally.
Some of the highest growth rates have come from states not traditionally known for high cybercrime activity. Telangana saw over 1,000 per cent jump in cyber-crime incidents reported by Centre's I4C. Odisha, for example, reported just 6,053 cases in 2021, which rose to 53,488 in 2024—an increase of 783 per cent. Gujarat witnessed an even more dramatic jump—from 18,159 cases in 2021 to 1,67,892 in 2024, marking an 825 per cent spike of complaints logged, the second-highest among all major states. Karnataka, one of India's key tech centres, saw a rise from 19,609 to 1,69,384 cases—a 764 per cent increase.
Maharashtra, the state with the highest number of cumulative cybercrime cases in 2024, reported 3,03,173 incidents, up from 40,987 in 2021, amounting to a 640 per cent increase. Bihar, which had just 13,911 cases in 2021, raised 99,512 cyber-crime incidents in 2024, a rise of 615 per cent, highlighting how deeply digital fraud is taking root in states with growing digital penetration.
Himachal Pradesh, considered low-risk in terms of digital crime, has witnessed a six-fold increase from 2,024 in 2021 to 13,990 in 2024—a 591 per cent surge. Even Jammu & Kashmir, which logged 2,515 incidents in 2021, recorded 15,088 in 2024, an increase of 499 per cent. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh followed suit, with increases of 256 per cent and 436 per cent respectively over the same period.
The story is similar in several other states. Uttar Pradesh, while was already among the highest in absolute numbers, went from 72,740 cases in 2021 to 3,01,057 in 2024, an increase of 314 per cent. Delhi, often perceived as well-policed and aware, saw a rise from 53,093 to 1,52,987, up 188 per cent. Across all states and Union Territories, the cumulative number of cybercrime complaints reported rose to more than 67 lakh in less than five years.
Low Digital Literacy, High vulnerabilities
According to officials, this explosion in cases can be traced to a combination of factors, which includes rapid smartphone adoption, growing use of UPI and online banking, and a lack of basic cybersecurity knowledge—especially in semi-urban and rural areas. With first-time internet users increasingly transacting online, cybercriminals are exploiting their unfamiliarity with phishing tactics, fake investment schemes, impersonation fraud, and malware attacks.
What MHA is doing
The government has launched several initiatives to stem the tide. The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting System and the 1930 helpline have reportedly helped save over Rs 5,489 crore in 17.8 lakh complaints. According to a reply given in Parliament, MHA apprised that over 9.42 lakh SIM cards and 2.63 lakh IMEIs have been blocked to disrupt digital fraud networks. State-level forensic-cum-training laboratories have been established in 33 states and UTs, and more than 24,600 police and judicial officers have been trained on cybercrime investigation and response.
Platforms like Samanvaya and CyTrain are now helping law-enforcement agencies track interstate cybercrime rings and train officers through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). However, the scale of the challenge continues to outpace existing infrastructure and human resource capacity.
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First Published:
August 04, 2025, 10:40 IST
News india Rural, Semi-Urban Areas Record Sharpest Rise As India Sees Over 400% Uptick In Cyber Crimes
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