Cuttack, March 1: Police have launched a special drive against cyber cafes in the city to ensure that people, especially teenagers, refrain from indulging in “immoral acts” at public places.

Moreover, six couples were detained and subsequently released after a raid on a cyber café at Buxi Bazar yesterday.

The café owner has been arrested under sections 292, 293 and 7 of the Cinematography Act and produced before court today. Three computers and hard disks were seized on the allegation that these gadgets stored pornographic content. Moreover, the hard disks will be sent for further investigation by computer experts.

Sources said that despite restrictions, many cyber cafes were functioning in violation of the new guidelines, which barred setting up of covered cubicles. Even high partitions and closed cabins are banned.

“It is the girls, who could fall victim as there is every possibility that their intimate moments might be captured and circulated on internet or in the form of CDs,” said Dinesh Shah, a local resident.

Senior police officials said efforts are on to create awareness among the youths. “We are alert and raids are being conducted following specific allegations regarding illegal activities inside cyber cafes,” said deputy commissioner of police S. Praveen Kumar.

The cyber café at Buxi Bazar was operating without adhering to the prescribed guidelines. This is the second cyber café that has been raided in the past 15 days in the city.

On February 21, the police had raided a café in front of Shailabala Women’s College near Chandi Mandir Square. At that time, the cops seized two computers and many objectionable items, including some pornographic CDs. The cyber café had been operating from a residential-cum-market complex for a couple of years. The café had been raided on April 28 last year and four computers were seized.

In another development, many cyber cafes have installed softwares that block access whenever a user tries to view pornographic sites. Similarly, it is been made mandatory for the customers to carry identity cards before accessing computers at any cyber cafe.

“We are strictly adhering to the norms and maintaining customer records. We ask for identity proofs from our customers,” said Rakesh, a cyber café owner.