GHMC records overall decline in crime in 2025: Annual Report

Hyderabad: A comparative analysis of crime data for 2024 and 2025 across the three major police commissionerates of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) shows that Cyberabad saw the highest crime rate, significantly more than Rachakonda and Hyderabad, even as the overall crime rate dropped in the region.

According to the annual crime data from all three commisionerate of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda released this month, the IT hub registered 37,243 cases, a 1.2 per cent drop from 2024; Rachakonda saw a 15 per cent rise, from 28,626 cases last year to 33,040 cases in 2025, and Hyderabad city saw a significant 15 per cent dip in crime, from 35,944 cases filed in 2024 to 30,690 cases this year.

The Greater Hyderabad region comprises the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates together.

Crimes Against Women: Rise across the Commissionerates

Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates saw an overall increase in crimes against women, with 2,625 and 3,350, respectively.

However, the Rachakonda commissionerate reported mixed trends. Grave crimes against women, including cruelty by husbands or relatives, rape, abetment to suicide, murder and dowry-related deaths, came down by 25 per cent (from 1,704 cases in 2024 to 1,194 cases this year).

On the other hand, crimes affecting safety in public places, such as molestation, kidnapping and cases under the POCSO Act, increased from 1,186 to 1,804.

Under the POCSO Act, the IT Hub and Hyderabad City topped the list with 568 cases each, while Rachakonda registered 516 cases, an analysis of the data showed.

Cyberabad registered the highest number of rape cases at 500, followed by Hyderabad at 405 and Rachakonda at 330.

Cyberabad also topped the list in dowry deaths and dowry murders (17 cases), while Hyderabad city and Rachakonda saw 31 cases and 18 cases each.

Narcotics dept on top

This year, the narcotics departments across the tri-commissionerates saw a stupendous success rate in drug crackdowns. A total of 7,066 kg of drugs were seized (6,857 kg of ganja and 209 kg of non-ganja, including MDMA, cocaine, and heroin with an estimated cumulative market value of Rs 37 crore.

Rachakonda recorded the highest seizure, valued at Rs 20.01 crore, from 2,090 kg of drugs (largely ganja). In comparison, Cyberabad recorded a total of 1,525 kg worth Rs 16.85 crore, and Hyderabad City recovered a massive 3,243 kg of narcotics costing Rs 56 lakh.

Ganja seizure

Ganja was the favourite for drug peddlers, being the largest narcotic to be seized. It weighed nearly 97 per cent of the total volume seized in the city.

In Rachakonda, 2,090 kg of ganja was seized, valued at 18.51 crore, followed by 2,000 kg in Hyderabad city, worth Rs 56 lakh, and 1,524 kg in the IT Hub costing Rs 6.74 crore.

Drugs apart from ganja (MDMA, Cocaine, Heroin, LSD, etc.)

Across all three commissionerates, 209 kg of non-ganja drugs worth Rs 15.61 crore were seized. These include MDMA, cocaine, LSD and opium.

This year, Rachakonda had the largest narcotics seizure with 166 kg, valued at Rs 1.50 crore, followed by Cyberabad at 25 kg, worth Rs 10.11 crore, and Hyderabad city at 18 kg costing Rs 4 crore.

Here is a quick table for better understanding

NDPS cases surge 127 pc across Greater Hyderabad

There has been a massive jump in the number of cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) when compared to last year. This year, 4,142 cases were registered, a staggering 127 per cent rise, compared to 1,850 in 2024.

The number of arrests shot up by 126 per cent, with this year registering 5,212 arrests as against 2,300 in 2024.

In 2025, Hyderabad city led the number of people arrested with 1,345 (including 11 foreign nationals), closely followed by Cyberabad at 1,228 and 668 arrests in Rachakonda.

This year, there were an average of 11 drug-related cases registered and 14 arrests made every day across the Greater Hyderabad region.

Accidents up, fatalities dip: GHMC’s mixed results

The total road accidents in 2025 were recorded at 10,775, a small increase from last year’s 10,094. The number of fatalities decreased to 1,756 in 2025 from 1,810 in 2024.

The IT hub led the total number of accidents tally by 4,608, followed by Hyderabad city at 2,679 and Rachakonda at 3,488.

Cyberabad also saw the maximum number of deaths at 803, followed by Rachakonda at 659 and Hyderabad city at 294. Compared to last year’s statistics, there has been an overall decrease across the three commissionerates.

Drunk driving declines in Hyderabad, spikes in Rachakonda

Drunk driving cases fell in Hyderabad and Cyberabad, while Rachakonda saw a 15 per cent rise.

In 2025, Hyderabad city registered 49,732 drunk driving cases, followed by Rachakonda at 17,760 and Cyberabad at 15,706.

A year-by-year analysis shows that Hyderabad city recorded 59,572 drunk driving cases in 2024, which decreased to 49,732 in 2025 – a 16.5 per cent rise, followed by Rachakonda at 15,390 (approx) cases in 2024, as against 17,760 this year – a 15 per cent increase. Last year, there were 18,959 cases reported in Cyberabad, as against 15,706 this year.

Only 19 pc traffic fines collected

This year, the tri-commissionerates issued an astonishing 1.29 crore challans worth an estimated Rs 530 crore. However, the city faced a significant compliance issue, as only Rs 100.77 crore had been successfully collected.

Hyderabad city issued over 69 lakh challans, with a total fine levied at Rs 215.06 crore. According to the annual report, only Rs 44.01 crore had been paid so far, while the remaining Rs 171.05 crore was unpaid.

Under the Cyberabad commisionerate, 33.77 lakh traffic challans had been issued, mainly due to high-speed violations on the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The total fine levied was Rs 239.37 crore, of which Rs 45.22 crore was paid. In Rachakonda, 25.89 lakh challans were issued, with a cumulative fine of Rs 75.57 crore, of which Rs 11.54 crore was paid.

Cybercrime

Although a major concern, cybercrime cases dropped significantly in 2025 across the three commissionerates, even as financial losses remain high.

Cyberabad registered a significant 35 per cent drop, with 7,636 cases as compared to 11,914 in 2024. Financial loss stood at Rs 404.61 crore, nearly half of last year.

Rachakonda recorded a 19 per cent decline in the number of cybercrime cases from 4,618 to 3,734 this year. Financial loss was recorded at Rs 127 crore.

Hyderabad city also saw a dip, from 4,042 cases in 2024 to 3,735 cases in 2025, and reported a Rs 319.00 crore loss.

The total financial loss due to cybercrime across Greater Hyderabad was approximately Rs 850.61 crore.

Top five cybercrime offences

Trading and investment fraud, defined as luring victims with high returns on fake stock/crypto apps, caused huge financial losses.

It was highest in Rachakonda, with 1,512 cases filed. Hyderabad city recorded the maximum number of OTP and trading fraud cases, with 458 and 430 cases, respectively.

Part-time job scams topped the most frequent offence registered at 4,147 cases.

Under Smishing/APK fraud, which is sending malicious links through SMS and WhatsApp messages, the IT Hub recorded 689 cases, followed by 400 in Hyderabad city and 96 in Rachakonda.

In case of fake matrimonial advertisements and honey traps, Cyberabad remained at the top with 35 cases, while Hyderabad city stood at 22, and Rachakonda registered 18 cases.

Surprisingly, digital arrest scams saw a massive 90 per cent nosedive this year, with 117 cases registered under Cyberabad, 86 under Hyderabad city and 43 under Rachakonda limits.

OTP and unauthorised transactions were the highest in Cyberabad (450 cases), with Hyderabad city finishing a close second (458 cases) and Rachakonda at 216.

While cybercrime still remains a dominant threat, the IT hub (Cyberabad) led the decline with a 35.9 per cent drop in cases, while the city’s focus shifted towards recovering funds; over Rs 115 crore was refunded to the victims’ bank accounts.

Here is a table for better understanding.

Top five cybercrime offences across tri commissionerates (2025)