Cybercrime wave spills beyond Bengaluru: Rural Karnataka reports 1,600 cases in 2024

Even tribal regions in Karnataka, previously unaffected by such crimes, have seen a sharp rise.

Cybercrime, long considered an urban issue, is now rapidly gaining ground in rural Karnataka. According to data presented in the Karnataka Legislative Council during the March 2024 session, cybercrime cases reported from rural areas have nearly doubled in two years, from 880 in 2022 to 1,600 in 2024, Deccan Herald reported.

The spike in cases has been attributed to the growing penetration of internet services.

Even tribal regions, previously unaffected by such crimes, have seen a sharp rise. In 2024, 12 cybercrime cases were reported from tribal areas, compared to just one in 2023 and none in 2022.

The spike in cases has been attributed to the growing penetration of internet services and digital media usage in semi-urban and rural areas, the report added. Cybercriminals typically operate by targeting random phone numbers, making rural populations as vulnerable as urban users.

Increased accessibility to reporting mechanisms has also contributed to the rise in complaints. According to the DH report, victims now have the option to directly call the 1930 cybercrime helpline or lodge complaints online, making the process less cumbersome than before.

Recent cyber crime cases

A recent incident in Khanapur, Belagavi district, saw an elderly couple die by suicide after being targeted in a cyber fraud and fearing digital arrest, highlighting the severe psychological toll such crimes can take.

The deceased have been identified as Diogjeron Santan Nazareth, a retired Maharashtra government secretariat employee, and his wife Flaviana. The couple had no children.

According to police, a two-page handwritten note was recovered from the scene, in which Diogjeron stated their decision to end their lives and requested that no one be held responsible. The note indicated that they no longer wished to live dependent on others.

Diogjeron reportedly died after stabbing himself in the neck, with additional injuries found on his wrist. His wife Flaviana is suspected to have consumed poison, though police said confirmation is awaited from the autopsy report.

In another cybercrime case in January, a Mysuru youth alleged that fraudsters tricked him into taking a ₹4.7 lakh loan and held him under "digital arrest" for 24 hours.

The victim filed a complaint with the Cybercrime, Economic Offences, and Narcotics (CEN) police station, alleging mental harassment as the financial company demands EMI payments for a loan he never knowingly availed.

(With agency inputs)