REASI, APRIL 6: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested three fraudsters from Bihar and busted a racket involved in the sale of fake helicopter tickets to Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims for travel between Katra and Sanji Chhat.
Identifying them as Ashok Mistri, Santosh Kumar and Lakhpati Paswan, all residents of Shumbha Bihar, police claimed to have seized incriminating material from them. The arrested accused were brought to Katra after obtaining their transit remand from a court there, police said.
During questioning, it came to know about 40 fake websites involved in sellibg fake helicopter tickets, it said, adding that all those sites were blocked.
Three separate FIRs were registered at Katra police station following complaints regarding online sale of fake helicopter tickets for pilgrimage to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine. Accordingly, special police teams were set up under the supervision of Katra SP Amit Bhasin and sent to different parts of the country to apprehend the accused.
A team headed by Kuljeet Singh, SDPO Katra, after hectic investigation zeroed on some places in Bihar State and subsequently raided at various locations. After sustained and hectic efforts, it succeeded in apprehended the three accused.
Meanwhile, SSP Reasi Amit Gupta has advised all the pilgrims to use only the official website of the SMVD Shrine Board for booking services such as helicopter tickets and not to fall prey to the fraudulent advertisements issued by unauthorized websites offering confirmed Helicopter tickets, sale of Prasad etc.