Latest news with #SarthakSarangi
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Time of India
Cops shut down 11 fake platforms scamming tourists
Bhubaneswar: Odisha police have cracked down on fraudulent hotel booking websites ahead of the annual Rath Yatra festival, shutting down 11 fake platforms that were scamming tourists through deceptive booking schemes. Police authorities have received 317 complaints regarding fraudulent hotel booking websites in recent months. "The total fraud amount of 317 complaints is still being assessed but certainly runs into lakhs of rupees. We promptly intervened and took down 11 such fake portals," said IG (Crime Branch) Sarthak Sarangi. The scammers operated by creating convincing replicas of legitimate booking platforms, targeting visitors planning trips to popular destinations like Puri, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack. These fake websites appeared prominently in Google search results, offering attractively low rates and demanding full advance payments through UPI or digital wallets. On Tuesday, TOI highlighted the particular nature of cyber offence. "The social media team of crime branch is actively monitoring online platforms to identify and remove such fraudulent sites. Complaints have poured in through the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, along with alerts from hotel owners and government bodies," Sarangi said. To avoid falling victim to such scams, police authorities advise tourists to book only through verified platforms or official tourism websites. "Always cross-check hotel contact details, avoid full advance payments, and be cautious of unrealistic deals, especially during festival season," a crime branch advisory stated.
New Indian Express
16-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
20 senior IPS officers to helm important security duties during Rath Yatra in Puri
BHUBANESWAR: Around 20 senior IPS officers will be assigned various duties for Rath Yatra in Puri which is scheduled to commence from June 27. Sources said as per the tentative plan, Transport commissioner and ADG Amitabh Thakur will be in charge of temple security, inner cordon, and the chariots of the Trinity. He will be assisted by Crime Branch IG Sarthak Sarangi and Special Task Force (STF) DIG Pinak Mishra. Similarly, ADG (Modernisation) Saumyendra Kumar Priyadarsi will be in charge of outer cordon and crowd management. He will be supported by three to four IPS officers including North Central Range IG Satyabrata Bhoi, Special Armed Police (SAP) IG Awinash Kumar and DIG (Provisioning) Charan Singh Meena. ADG (Communication) Dayal Gangwar will be in charge of traffic and integrated control room and will be assisted by DIG Special Intelligence Wing (SIW) Kanwar Vishal Singh and Crime Branch DIG Battula Gangadhar. Director Intelligence RP Koche will be in charge of the overall intelligence sector and IG (Operations) Deepak Kumar will head the anti-terrorist squads. IG (Training), Biju Patnaik State Police Academy Anup Sahoo will handle the security of the VVIPs. Sources said though Odisha Police has not received any communication so far, it is making arrangements anticipating the visit of either President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah during Rath Yatra. The in-charge of force deployment, their welfare and logistics will be ADG SAP Rajesh Kumar, and ADG Law and Order Sanjay Kumar will lead the security sector.
