Belagavi, Dec 19 (IANS) Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara informed the state Assembly on Friday that the crime rate in the state has declined significantly in 2025.

“Cases of murder, robbery, dacoity, assault, rioting, rape and crimes against women saw a significant decline this year as compared to previous years,” said Parameshwara while addressing the House.

The state Home Minister was responding to the Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka and other leaders, who had claimed that the law and order system had totally collapsed in the state and raised a concern over the involvement of police officers in serious crimes.

Parameshwara presented statistics related to the crimes of six years in the state.

“1589 cases of murder were reported in 2019. 1315 in 2020; 1,340 (2021); 1,365 (2022); 1,293 (2023); 1,208 (2024) and 1,131 in 2025. In 2023, 600 cases of rape were reported. In 2024, 632 cases were reported, and 517 rape cases were reported in 2025,” he said.

The state Home Minister said that regarding sexual harassment cases against women, the number of cases reported got reduced from 6,489 (2023) to 6,334 (2024) and further to 5,324 in 2025.

“Incidents of robbery increased from 1,236 in 2023 to 569 in 2025. Cyber crimes from 22,255 cases in 2023 to 13,599,” he said.

He also informed the House that the Pocso cases have seen a slight increase from 3,900 in 2023, 4061 in 2024, to 4096 in 2025.

He pointed out that in the last two years, disciplinary action has been taken against 26 police officers and personnel for colluding with drug traffickers and for failing to curb the spread of drugs within their respective police station limits, he said.

The state Home Minister said that police personnel and officials are involved in various criminal cases in a total of 88 criminal cases.

“Legal cases have been registered against the police personnel and officials involved in such offences, and action is being taken in accordance with the law,” he said.

He emphasised that, in addition, departmental disciplinary proceedings are also being initiated against the guilty personnel under police service rules, he stated.

“Accounts and groups active on social media platforms such as Facebook, Telegram and other online platforms, which were being used to sell fake SIM cards and fake bank accounts to cheat the public through criminal activities, have been identified,” he said.

Parameshwara said that as part of the action, 268 Facebook groups, 465 Telegram groups, 15 Instagram accounts and 61 WhatsApp groups have been deactivated.

“Persons who attempt to disturb communal harmony on social media platforms are being identified, and such individuals are being kept under surveillance,” he added.

Earlier, LoP Ashoka said that across the state, the sale and transportation of drugs are taking place openly, and some police personnel are allegedly involved in this racket.

“Illegal activities that have come to light inside prisons, particularly the availability of mobile phones to terrorists and criminals, point to a serious failure of prison security and indicate that police personnel themselves are encouraging such unlawful activities,” he said.

LoP Ashoka said that in Bengaluru, the police have failed to prevent the sale of meat of prohibited animals, adding that the involvement of police personnel in the recent ATM robbery case in Bengaluru is a deeply disturbing development.

–IANS

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