Odisha Police launch cyber safety awareness campaign in Puri for Rath Yatra

Puri, Jul 13 (PTI) The Odisha Police have launched an initiative to create awareness among tourists and pilgrims against cybercrime in the run-up to the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, a senior officer said on Monday. The police rolled out a 'Cyber Sathi Vehicle' to disseminate cyber safety messages and to educate pilgrims, tourists, hotel owners, locals, and other stakeholders about emerging cyber threats during the festival, which will be held on July 16. The Criminal Investigation Department of the Crime Branch (CID-CB), in a statement, said that it has launched a campaign for cyber safety and a response team has already started undertaking extensive awareness activities across Puri. The team has visited seven prominent hotels in Puri and sensitised their management about the hotel booking scams targeting tourists and pilgrims during the Rath Yatra. Their hotel websites were assessed by the team, and advisories were issued to address any vulnerabilities, it said. “In addition, the team has interacted with more than 100 tourists and pilgrims, creating awareness against various cyber frauds and distributing cyber safety pamphlets,” said CID-CB inspector general Sarthak Sarangi. Since the launch of the campaign, nine fake hotel webpages have been taken down, and 16 URLs spreading misleading information related to the Puri Rath Yatra and soliciting donations for prasad distribution have been blocked. The Odisha Police also appealed to all devotees and tourists to remain vigilant, follow cyber safety advisories, verify hotel bookings only through genuine sources, and cooperate with the police in ensuring a safe, secure, and cyber-aware Rath Yatra–2026. PTI AAM AAM BDC