VIJAYAWADA: Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has said that Andhra Pradesh recorded a 6.17 per cent decline in overall crime in 2025, despite improved reporting and proactive registration of cases.
Addressing a review meeting, she said sharp reductions were seen in rioting, crimes against SCs/STs, crimes against women, POCSO cases and NDPS cases. Property crime detection and recovery stood at 56% and 55% respectively, far above the national average of 33.8%.
Police secured 510 convictions in crimes against women and POCSO cases, including 126 life sentences. Under Operation TRACE, 1,262 missing girls and 2,648 women were traced within four months, while 12.95 lakh girls and women received self-defence training across the State.
Cybercrime cases declined by 18.94%, with Rs 98 crore frozen and Rs 3 crore refunded to victims. In anti-narcotics operations, 99,836 kg of ganja was destroyed, 9,478 accused arrested and zero cultivation achieved in ASR district.
Over Rs 815 crore was spent on police welfare, 6,015 constables were recruited and stipends enhanced to Rs 12,000.
As part of prison reforms, 20 life convicts were released under special remission in line with revised 2025 government guidelines. The outdated Parole Rules of 1981 were replaced with the Revised Parole Rules, 2024. The e-Prisons system was strengthened with ICJS integration, Aadhaar linkage and real-time data monitoring, while e-Mulakath (WhatsApp Governance) was introduced to enable digital interaction between prisoners and their families.
Four drug de-addiction centres were established in major central prisons with Government of India support, and a proposal was submitted for a high-security Central Prison at Amaravati with an outlay of Rs 200 crore under the modernisation scheme.
“Key reforms were implemented in prisons, fire services, prosecutions and disaster management, strengthening public safety and emergency response,” Anitha said.