Puri: As thousands of devotees and tourists throng Puri for the annual Rath Yatra 2026, the Odisha Police Crime Branch has stepped up its cyber surveillance and awareness measures to protect visitors from online frauds and digital threats.Under the Cyber Saathi Campaign, the Cyber Safety and Response Team has launched a special drive across Puri to create awareness among pilgrims, tourists, hotel operators, and local residents about cyber crimes and ways to stay safe in the digital space during the grand religious festival.The campaign, conducted from July 12 to July 25, focused on preventing cyber frauds such as fake hotel booking scams, phishing attacks, fraudulent online offers, and misinformation campaigns targeting devotees arriving from different parts of the country.As part of the initiative, the cyber safety team inspected 104 prominent hotels in Puri and sensitised hotel management about the growing threat of fake websites and fraudulent booking platforms. The team also examined hotel websites for possible security vulnerabilities and issued advisories to improve their online protection.During the drive, 81 fake hotel websites and webpages created to mislead devotees and tourists were identified and removed, officials said.The awareness campaign received an overwhelming response, with the Cyber Safety and Response Team interacting with more than 12,180 pilgrims and tourists. Cyber safety pamphlets were distributed among visitors, highlighting common online fraud techniques and precautionary measures to avoid falling prey to cyber criminals.Keeping a close watch on the digital ecosystem during the festival, the team also monitored social media platforms and detected more than 180 misleading posts related to the Puri Rath Yatra. Necessary steps were taken to facilitate the removal of such content to prevent the spread of misinformation among devotees.In another major initiative, the Cyber Safety and Response Team helped citizens report missing mobile phones by registering 291 complaints on the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, enabling better tracking and recovery efforts.The Odisha Police Crime Branch has appealed to devotees, tourists, and citizens to remain cautious while using digital platforms during the festival. People have been advised to confirm hotel bookings only through verified sources, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and stay away from fraudulent online offers.Police officials said that ensuring the safety of devotees is not limited to physical security arrangements and that cyber protection has become an important part of managing large public gatherings in the digital era.The Crime Branch has urged everyone visiting Puri during Rath Yatra to follow cyber safety guidelines and cooperate in creating a secure and aware digital environment.
July 26, 2026
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