Puri: Police on Tuesday carried out a series of raids on hotels and tour operators in Puri, cracking down on travel agencies running without valid registration. The move came after several complaints that tourists were being harassed, overcharged, and cheated by unregistered operators in the pilgrim town.
Acting on the directives of Puri SP Pinak Mishra, police teams inspected documents of multiple agencies and initiated legal action against those found violating rules. The SP said the operation was launched following a rise in complaints.
“In recent days, several allegations have surfaced of tourists being harassed and cheated. Tour and travel agencies have mushroomed in Puri like mushrooms after rain, with some even run by antisocial elements. Many of these are functioning without registration or proper documentation,” Mishra stated.
Raids are being conducted across different police station limits, and the drive will continue, officials said. The SP further assured that measures are being taken to ensure visitors to Puri do not fall prey to exploitation at tourist spots.
