Bhubaneswar: With the world-famous Puri Rath Yatra 2026 just days away, the Odisha Police has intensified efforts to safeguard devotees not only on the ground but also in cyberspace by launching the ‘Cyber Saathi’ campaign to curb online fraud targeting pilgrims and tourists.
As part of the campaign, the CID-Crime Branch has shut down nine fake hotel booking webpages and blocked 16 fraudulent URLs that were allegedly spreading misleading information related to the Rath Yatra and cheating people in the name of hotel bookings and prasada dana (offering donations).
The campaign has been launched jointly by the CID Crime Branch and Puri Police in view of the heightened cyber security risks during the annual festival, which attracts lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad. Besides taking action against fraudulent websites, the police are creating awareness among tourists, devotees, hotel owners and local residents about various online scams associated with the festival.
A Crime Branch team inspected seven major hotels in Puri, sensitised hotel managements about fake hotel booking frauds, and conducted security checks of their websites to strengthen cyber security measures and prevent misuse by fraudsters.
The Odisha Police has urged devotees and tourists to remain vigilant while making hotel reservations and to book accommodation only through trusted and reliable platforms. It has also appealed to the public to strictly follow cyber safety guidelines and verify the authenticity of websites before making online payments to avoid falling victim to cyber fraud during the Rath Yatra.
