India News | Complaint Filed Against Fraudsters for Offering Fake Helicopter Tickets to Vaishno Devi Pilgrims

Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has lodged separate complaints with crime and cyber branches of Jammu and Kashmir Police against fraudulent elements illegally offering helicopter tickets to the intending pilgrims to the famous shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district, an official said on Wednesday.

Jammu, Dec 15 (PTI) Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has lodged separate complaints with crime and cyber branches of Jammu and Kashmir Police against fraudulent elements illegally offering helicopter tickets to the intending pilgrims to the famous shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district, an official said on Wednesday.

The SMVDSB advised all the pilgrims to use only its official website for booking services such as helicopter tickets and not to fall prey to the fraudulent advertisements issued by unauthorised websites offering confirmed helicopter tickets and the sale of 'prasad'.

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The official said Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB, Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday reviewed the helicopter operations for the pilgrimage and during the deliberations, it came to the fore that some unscrupulous elements are selling fraudulent or fake tickets to the pilgrims.

“These unscrupulous elements are illegally offering helicopter tickets from Katra-Sanjichhat-Katra through their websites/travel portals/travel agencies,” the official said.

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Taking a serious note of the “false, frivolous and unlawful” heli bookings, the Chief Executive Officer informed that the matter regarding fleecing of pilgrims by these fraudulent elements has already been taken up with crime branch and cyber branch of J-K Police, he said.

Kumar has appealed to the pilgrims that the sale of helicopter tickets for pilgrims traveling from Katra to Sanjichhat and back is the sole prerogative of the SMVDSB and it has not authorised any agent, agency or person to use the Board's name to sell or undertake online bookings for any services.

“All the online services offered by Shrine Board are offered through the Official Website of Shrine Board: HYPERLINK "http://www.maavaishnodevi.org"www.maavaishnodevi.org and MATA VAISHNO DEVI APP, only,” the official said, adding Kumar stressed that any misrepresentation of the Board by any person or agency whatsoever shall be dealt with strictly.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)

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