Gadwal: The district Superintendent of Police, T. Srinivasa Rao, on Friday released the Annual Police Report–2025 at a press conference held in the morning at the District Police Office. The report presents a comparative analysis of crime and policing performance for the years 2024 and 2025, reflecting notable progress in crime prevention, detection, emergency response, and judicial outcomes, while also identifying areas that require heightened focus.

Decline in Petitions and FIRs

According to official data from the Police Reception Centre and the Petition Management System (PMS), the total number of petitions received declined significantly from 6,359 in 2024 to 5,270 in 2025, registering a 17 per cent decrease. Similarly, the number of FIRs registered fell from 2,703 to 2,410, an 11 per cent reduction, indicating a fall in reported criminal incidents and the impact of strengthened preventive policing measures.

Emergency Response Services

Emergency response services recorded improved public engagement. Dial 100 calls increased marginally from 9,665 in 2024 to 10,032 in 2025, reflecting greater public reliance on police assistance. Importantly, the average response time improved, demonstrating enhanced operational efficiency in handling emergencies and distress calls.

Grave Crimes and Preventive Policing

Data on grave crimes showed an overall 3 per cent decline, with cases reducing from 72 in 2024 to 70 in 2025. While murder cases dropped by 25 per cent, certain serious offences—including culpable homicide, rape, theft, and dacoity—recorded an increase. Robbery and dowry death cases remained unchanged. Police officials stated that focused monitoring, special teams, and targeted enforcement drives are being strengthened to curb the rise in select serious crimes.

Preventive policing witnessed a sharp rise. Bind-over cases increased by 86 per cent, from 233 to 434, while the number of persons bound over surged by 142.7 per cent, highlighting the police department’s emphasis on proactive crime prevention and maintenance of public order.

Missing Cases and Crimes Against Women

Missing cases showed a positive trend, declining from 198 in 2024 to 177 in 2025. A substantial number of cases were successfully traced in both years, underscoring effective follow-up mechanisms and inter-departmental coordination.

Crimes against women remained almost constant, with 117 cases in 2024 and 118 cases in 2025. While incidents of harassment, kidnapping, and eve-teasing declined, an increase in rape and murder of women cases raised concerns. Police authorities acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and emphasized intensified surveillance, speedy investigations, and victim-centric approaches, including fast-track legal processes.

Road Safety Concerns

Road safety statistics presented a mixed picture. Road accident cases declined slightly from 207 to 204, but fatalities increased from 133 to 135, and injuries rose by nearly 16 per cent. Officials stressed the need for stricter traffic enforcement, sustained drunk-and-drive checks, and enhanced public awareness campaigns to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

Property Offences and Recovery

Property-related offences showed significant improvement. Cases dropped by 31.3 per cent, from 351 in 2024 to 241 in 2025. Detection rates improved sharply from 45 per cent to 76 per cent, and the value of recovered property increased substantially, reflecting improved investigative techniques, use of technology, and coordinated field operations.

Convictions, Courts, and Lok Adalaths

Judicial outcomes also reflected progress. Conviction rates increased from 39 per cent in 2024 to 45 per cent in 2025. Courts disposed of 1,943 cases in 2025, compared to 1,581 cases in 2024.

Lok Adalaths played a crucial role in reducing pendency, disposing of 815 cases in 2025, while disposal of petty cases nearly doubled from 11,364 to 22,426, providing speedy and cost-effective justice to citizens.

Enforcement Drives

Special enforcement drives under various Acts yielded notable results. NDPS cases recorded increased seizures and arrests, reflecting intensified action against drug-related offences. PDS rice and sand smuggling cases declined, indicating effective deterrence and enforcement. Meanwhile, Gaming Act cases increased along with arrests, highlighting a focused crackdown on illegal gambling activities.

Overall Assessment

Overall, the Annual Police Report–2025 depicts a trend of improved policing efficiency, stronger preventive action, enhanced crime detection, and better judicial coordination in Jogulamba Gadwal district. While the reduction in overall crime, higher recovery rates, and improved conviction figures are encouraging, the rise in certain serious crimes and road fatalities underscores the need for sustained vigilance and targeted interventions.

Reiterating the department’s commitment, police authorities stated that data-driven policing, community engagement, and technology-enabled enforcement would remain central to ensuring public safety and maintaining law and order in the district in the coming year.