Police tighten vigil against fake identities after Operation Kalnemi exposes online traps for females
PIONEEREDGEE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Uttarakhand police have stepped up surveillance on social media accounts, especially those operating with fake names and identities after Operation Kalnemi revealed that young girls and women are being approached online by organised crime networks for forced conversions, fraud and other serious crimes.
In a Press conference on Sunday, the Inspector General (Crime, Law and Order) Nilesh Anand Bharne said that during the operation, possible terror links have also come to light and the State police is in constant coordination with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). He added that more than 5,500 verifications have been carried out so far since July 24, leading to 14 arrests and preventive action against 1,182 individuals.
The police have also nabbed five Bangaladesh nationals including two in Dehradun and three in Haridwar. Also, most of the offenders under the operation were nabbed in Dehradun and Haridwar districts, as per Bharne. Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said that 245 individuals have been arrested under Operation Kalnemi in Dehradun so far including two women. He stated that in most cases, women are used as the first point of contact on social media to lure young girls and women who are later pushed into conversion and sent to countries like Dubai.
The gangs, he said, strategically employ people from the same field or profession as the victims in order to gain their trust before exploiting them. He said that the crackdown has brought several startling cases to the surface. In Dehradun’s Selaqui area, a Bangladeshi national was caught posing as a doctor and running a clinic illegally. Another case involved a youth from Jammu and Kashmir arrested for hiding his identity to target women. The Haridwar SSP Pramendra Singh Dobal stated that in Haridwar, police detained fake tantriks who were duping people with false promises of miracles.
A Bangladeshi disguised as a sadhu was caught in Sahaspur, while in Piran Kaliyar two Bangladeshi nationals were identified during the verification drive and sent to a detention centre. In Jwalapur, police arrested a man who dressed as Lord Shiva to lure women and girls, he added. Bharne further informed that in Tehri, a man impersonating an IAS officer was arrested in Prayagraj for conning locals of lakhs of rupees.
The IG said that many of these incidents are linked to organised groups exploiting religious sentiments and systematically misusing social media to target vulnerable sections of society. He urged people, especially the youth, to remain vigilant online and report suspicious activities immediately. Bharne emphasised that Operation Kalnemi has sent a clear signal adding, “Uttarakhand Police will not spare anyone who plays with the faith of society or tarnishes the sanctity of Devbhoomi. Strict action will continue against such elements.”
