Bhubaneswar: Odisha may not yet figure among India’s top cyber crime hotspots overall, but a disturbing pattern hidden inside the latest NCRB numbers is now raising serious concern among investigators and digital safety experts.

The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2024 shows cyber crime cases in Odisha have continued their upward climb for the third straight year.

·        2022: 1,983 cases

·        2023: 2,348 cases

·        2024: 2,501 cases

At first glance, the increase from 2023 to 2024 may appear slower compared to the previous spike. But experts warn that the “base effect” masks a deeper and far more dangerous expansion of cyber criminal networks inside the state.

The most alarming revelation lies not in the overall volume — where Odisha stands around the 8th rank nationally — but in the nature of crimes being committed online.

Odisha Turns Into One of India’s Biggest Hubs of Obscene Cyber Content Cases

According to NCRB categorisation, Odisha has emerged as the second highest state in India in cyber crimes related to the transmission, publication, recording and circulation of obscene content, trailing only Uttar Pradesh.

The numbers are staggering.

Out of Odisha’s total 2,501 cyber crime cases in 2024, as many as 727 cases fell under obscene digital content offences.

That means nearly one out of every three cyber crimes registered in Odisha is linked to circulation or publication of obscene material online.

The figure accounts for over 29 percent of the state’s total cyber crime load — an unusually high concentration compared to many larger states.

As per Police reports, this points toward a rapid behavioural shift in the cyber ecosystem of Odisha, where digital offences are increasingly moving beyond financial fraud into exploitative and sexually abusive online activity.

Child Obscene Content Cases Add Another Layer of Concern

Even more troubling is Odisha’s position in cyber crimes involving child obscene content.

The NCRB data shows Odisha recorded 68 cases related to transmitting or circulating child obscene material in 2024, placing the state at the 3rd rank nationally.

Odisha Cyber sleuths term these cases represent one of the gravest categories of digital offences because they often overlap with organised exploitation networks, encrypted content sharing groups and anonymous social media circulation chains.

In the above context, what is concerning here is the sharp numbers recoded by NCRB begs the question that is Odisha’s cyber policing and digital awareness systems are evolving fast enough to tackle newer forms of online sexual exploitation.

Why the Trend Is More Dangerous Than Financial Fraud

Cyber frauds involving OTP scams, fake investment apps and digital arrests often dominate headlines. But officials here privately admit that obscene-content-linked cyber crimes are psychologically and socially more corrosive.

Unlike conventional financial frauds, these offences frequently involve:

·        Non-consensual sharing of intimate images

·        Revenge pornography

·        Blackmail using morphed photos and videos

·        Exploitation of minors

·        Secret recording and circulation

·        Social media-based humiliation campaigns

The sleuths observed that the explosive rise of cheap smartphones, encrypted messaging platforms, anonymous accounts and AI-powered image manipulation tools has dramatically lowered the barrier for such crimes.

The spread is no longer confined to urban centres.

Police sources indicate that semi-urban and even rural pockets in Odisha are now witnessing growing complaints linked to intimate-content circulation, particularly involving teenagers and young adults.

The “Silent Crime” Problem

Cyber experts describe obscene-content offences as “silent crimes” because a large percentage of victims never formally approach police.

Fear of stigma, social humiliation and family pressure often force victims — especially women and minors — into silence.

This means the actual scale could be significantly larger than NCRB figures suggest.

As per police reports, almost all cases surface only after victims face sustained blackmail, extortion or mental trauma.

Odisha’s Digital Expansion vs Cyber Awareness

Odisha’s internet penetration and smartphone adoption have grown rapidly over the past decade. But cyber literacy, digital ethics education and online safety awareness have not expanded at the same pace.

The NCRB trend now suggests that the state’s digital transition is entering a riskier phase where online abuse, voyeurism and exploitative content circulation are becoming mainstream policing challenges.

As per Odisha police data, at present all districts in the State don’t have cyber crime police station. And this could be the main reason behind such high ranking of Odisha nationally, since the in smartphone penetration is around 85% in rural Odisha and is in the top-10 in country in internet usage.

WARNING SIGNALS

The rise and high ranking of Odisha in such a corrosive crime seems telling when the Odisha police have taken the initiatives like ‘Operation Cyber Kavach’ and ‘Cyber Mitra’  to curb the growing such cyber crimes.

The State Government and Police had drawn a road map to curb the rising crime tide.

·        Set Up 5 dedicated first track cyber court to deal with online content crimes.

·        To set up 20 new dedicated cyber police station across all districts.

·        Rs 89 cr in budget 2026-27 to establish Centre of Excellence for Cyber Security to improve forensic investigation of digital evidence

Also Read: NCRB 2024 Odisha Report: The Rape Paradox: 99.8% Rapes in State are by Known Persons Raise Alarm