Yogi govt strengthens measures against cyber fraud linked to Ram Temple

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 20 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh Government has sprung into action on Saturday to deal with the growing concern over a surge in cybercriminal activity related to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Lord Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya Dham, which is scheduled on January 22.
As false messages claiming to collect donations for Ram Janmabhoomi, along with deceptive promises of providing free Prasad, VIP passes and entry passes, are circulating, the Yogi government is taking proactive measures to address and counteract these malicious activities.
Instructions have been issued to the entire state police, particularly the Ayodhya Police, to maintain heightened vigilance.
In a recent incident, Ayodhya Police acted swiftly, arresting an Indian American citizen involved in similar activities and putting him in jail under relevant sections.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is also alerting all devotees about these deceptive practices.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has issued an appeal to all devotees to not respond to requests or WhatsApp messages from unknown individuals without verification and to avoid making donations without proper authentication, highlighting the various cyber fraud tactics employed by criminals taking advantage of people's trust.
These tactics include the distribution of fake QR codes for collecting donations in the name of Ram Mandir, making false promises of providing free Prasad to the public, coming up with misleading offers of VIP passes and entry passes to visit Ram Mandir, and the creation of fake websites in the name of Ram Mandir Ayodhya.
Simultaneously, Ayodhya Police has launched an awareness campaign to educate the public about such matters.
Meanwhile, the police have apprehended an individual involved in a fraudulent scheme targeting devotees of Shri Ram.
Circle Officer (CO) Ayodhya, Shailendra Singh, disclosed that the accused, who holds American citizenship, was arrested for orchestrating a sophisticated online scam.
"The charges against the individual involve offering home delivery of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Pran Pratistha 'Prasad' for Rs 51 to citizens of Indian origin and 11 dollars to citizens of other countries through websites and social media," Shailendra Singh Circle Officer (CO) of Ayodhya said.
"Alongside the prasad, the accused offered Shri Ram printed T-shirts, Charan Padukas, Shri Ram flags, Shri Ram printed silver coins, and other merchandise in the name of Shri Ram," he added.
According to Shailendra Singh, CO Ayodhya, a case has been registered, accusing the individual of deceiving over 16 lakh people, with fraudulent transactions amounting to Rs 10.5 crore through online orders.
To heighten awareness, the police are disseminating information through newspapers and various social media platforms.
"In case of receiving misleading calls or messages, individuals are advised not to fall into the trap and to promptly contact the National Cyber Helpline at 1930 to report the incident," Shailendra Singh, Circle Officer (CO) of Ayodhya said.
"Furthermore, reporting can also be done by visiting cybercrime.gov.in, a dedicated portal aimed at curbing cybercrime," he added.
This collective effort aims to apprehend these cyber thugs and protect the public from falling victim to their schemes. (ANI)