Story in numbers: Prayagraj tops the 2020 list with 634 cybercrime cases

Of  34 metropolitan cities in India that reported cybercrime, Allahabad, now Prayagraj, tops the 2020 list with as many as 634 cases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, Varanasi is second highest with 487 cases. This is consistent with a rising trend of cybercrime in both cities over a three year period.

Interestingly, data collated by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in its latest report indicates that the motive for cybercrime in 2020, by and large, was fraud. The NCRB records a variety of motives ranging from terrorism and activities against the state, to revenge and even pranks. The data reveals that in 2020, 581 cases of cybercrime of a total of 634 in Allahabad were motivated by fraud, 38 by extortion, nine to cause disrepute, and six for sexual exploitation.

In Varanasi too, fraud is the primary motive behind cybercrime. But there are others too. Personal revenge was behind 28 cases of cybercrime, 29 cases were motivated by anger, and 4 cases were motivated by hate against the country. The biggest chunk, 179 were motivated by fraud. But 34 were caused with the intent of sexual exploitation and as many as 39 were pranks!

The Jharkhand capital of Ranchi, the state made infamous for television serial Jamtara that probed cybercrime, may be ahead in fiction, but in reality, is way down on the list. In 2020, all 170 cases of  cybercrimes reported from Ranchi were on account of fraud. The largest chunk of cybercrimes in Vishakhapatnam and Vijayawada also saw fraud as the motive.