Kodagu District Superintendent of Police R.N. Bindumani has urged the public to remain alert to cyber crimes, digital arrest frauds and other financial scams perpetrated through social media platforms.
Presiding over a public relations meeting of the Madikeri Sub-Division at Police Maitri Bhavan, he said fraudsters often target elderly persons and retired employees by promising high returns on small investments, gradually gaining their trust before cheating them of large sums.
He warned educated individuals against falling prey to so-called ‘digital arrest’ scams and advised the public not to click on anonymous links received through WhatsApp, Facebook or other platforms. Victims of cyber fraud were urged to immediately contact the police helpline ‘1930’.
SP Bindumani said the public can dial ‘112’ for police assistance, ‘1098’ to report cases of child abuse or child marriage, and ‘181’ for women facing domestic distress.
Noting that Kodagu is sparsely populated with houses located far apart, he advised residents to install CCTV cameras, inform the nearest police station when leaving home for extended periods and keep valuables in bank lockers. He also warned that strict action would be taken against unauthorised homestays operating in the district.
Referring to migrant labourers working in estates, he said estate owners must verify workers’ documents, including Aadhaar cards, and provide their details to the police.
He also highlighted issues such as parking congestion in Madikeri, sale of cigarettes and narcotics near shops in rural areas, crimes involving workers from outside the state, lack of response in some cyber crime complaints and concerns over illegal immigrants. Public cooperation was essential to address these issues, he said.
Additional SP B.P. Dinesh Kumar, office-bearers of various organisations and members of the public attended the meeting. Circle Inspector P.K. Raju welcomed the gathering.
