SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: According to various media reports, during last year cyber police Kashmir has registered 53 cases, redressed 590 financial transactions and solved 180 social media cases. Moreover, a sum of Rs 1.30 crore has been saved from fraudsters. It has been observed that cases of cyber crime and online fraud have been surging with great intensity, causing distress to not only individuals but also organisations and sectors. In a shocking incident, on April 28, approximately 11 tourists from Gujarat were apprehended in Gulmarg at globally acclaimed Ski resort located in North Kashmir, as they attempted to sneak through World’s largest cableway Gondola using fake tickets. Earlier on April 15, authorities got stunned when they caught 28 tourists from Mumbai in possession of bogus Gondola tickets in Gulmarg. It was later revealed that these tourists were made fool with fake tickets by their tour operators in Mumbai.
The problem of fake Gondola tickets is affecting reputation of Gulmarg as a tourist site and livelihoods of those involved in tourism industry. Many locals want offline ticketing system to limit illegal sales. Officials said that an FIR has been lodged and Manager of Veers World Mumbai, Mark and Anand from Badlapur, Mumbai have been arrested. The president of the guide Association Gulmarg stated that online ticketing has affected 80 per cent livelihood of tourist guides in Gulmarg.
Many tourist guides and ticket counter employees, who previously relied on offline ticketing, are now facing difficulties due to online system, he added. Although offline ticketing is still operational, but it is limited to just 400 reservations. Some guides were compelled to engage in black-marketing of tickets, despite fact that they do not support such acts. Guides claimed that the issue has been discussed with the higher authorities but no action has been taken yet in this regard.
