Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police’s Crime Branch has intensified its cyber safety campaign in Puri during the ongoing Rath Yatra, stepping up awareness efforts to protect pilgrims and tourists from online frauds, particularly fake hotel booking scams.
According to the Crime Branch, its Cyber Safety and Response Team has been conducting extensive outreach across the pilgrim town by educating tourists, devotees, hotel owners and local residents about cyber threats commonly reported during the annual festival. As part of the initiative, the team visited seven prominent hotels in Puri, sensitised their management about fraudulent hotel booking websites and assessed the security of their official websites. Advisories were also issued to address any vulnerabilities detected during the assessment.
The campaign gathered momentum on July 21 and 22, when the team interacted with more than 1,980 pilgrims and tourists, spreading awareness on various forms of cyber fraud and distributing cyber safety pamphlets.
The Crime Branch said it also identified and facilitated the removal of five fake hotel booking websites and four misleading social media posts related to the Puri Rath Yatra. Besides preventive measures, the team registered 58 complaints of missing mobile phones on the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal to assist victims in tracing or blocking their devices.
Appealing to devotees and visitors to remain alert, Odisha Police urged them to book accommodation only through authentic sources, follow cyber safety advisories and cooperate with law enforcement to ensure a safe and secure Rath Yatra experience.
