Jamtara is on the decline, there are still five districts in the state’s top ten that remain hubs for cybercrime. Across the country, there are ten districts with the highest number of cybercrime cases, and four of them are in Jharkhand. The top ten include Jamtara, Devghar, Giridih, and Bokaro.
Rising Cybercrime in Jharkhand
A startup from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur revealed this information through its research. The Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF) stated in its research that there are ten districts in the country where 80% of cybercrimes originate. The highest percentage of these crimes comes from Bharatpur in Rajasthan at 18%, followed by Mathura at 12%, and Nuuh in Haryana at 11%. Devghar in Jharkhand accounts for 10% of cybercrimes. What’s surprising is that four districts in Jharkhand are on this list. Bokaro accounts for 2.4%, Jamtara for 9.6%, Devghar for 10%, and Giridih for 2.3% of cybercrime cases. This research focuses on India’s ten districts.
Understanding the Figures
Taking a look at crime statistics in Jharkhand, there have been 5350 cybercrime cases reported in the state over the past four years, from 2019 to July 2023. Of these, 1432 cases were reported in Ranchi alone. Other districts include Dhanbad with 496 cases, Devghar with 405, Jamshedpur with 384, and Hazaribagh with 348 cases. Some cybercrime cases being reported have never been registered before. Given the increasing cybercrime cases, the Jharkhand Police Headquarters has proposed the establishment of cybercrime police stations in eight districts, including Bokaro, Ramgarh, Chaibasa, Ranchi, Latehar, Hazaribagh, Dumka, and Saraikela. The decision is likely to help control the rising cybercrimes in Jharkhand.
Districts in the State Facing the Threat of Cybercrime
According to the recent report, districts such as Latehar, Dhanbad, Santal Pargana, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Narayanpur, and Ranchi in Jharkhand are identified as cybercrime hubs. Among them, the most common types of crimes include OTP scams, followed by KYC-related frauds. Frauds related to electricity bills and online gaming scams also rank high.
Analyzing the Reasons Behind Increasing Cybercrime
The research also analyzed the reasons behind the surge in cybercrimes. It highlighted limited digital literacy and awareness among the local population as significant factors. Most parts of the state lack knowledge about technology and how to stay secure from cybercrimes. Cybercriminals are continuously exploring new methods due to the increasing awareness of cybercrimes.
