Kolkata Police commissioner Manoj Verma on Wednesday alerted Calcuttans about online frauds through social media that appear to be Diwali offers or promise a chance to offer Kali Puja online.

The top cop was speaking at a Kali Puja coordination meeting with organisers, along with officials of all the utility service providers at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium on Wednesday.

“He said people should remain alert against cyber frauds, which are especially advertised through social media,” an officer said, quoting the police commissioner.

Police said fraudsters were making lucrative advertisements and fake offers to lure people into online traps.

This newspaper reported last week that online fraud, designed to lure people during the festive season, had become a cause for concern for the police.

Fraudsters are using AI to create deepfake videos that show celebrities endorsing a brand or an offer to encourage people to invest in them. Similarly, the police said, social media was full of advertisements and Diwali offers — half of which could be potential frauds leading to suspicious links.

“It was said that people should be careful before making any online purchase through social media or any random link. Also, people should verify the authenticity of any website before making any online transfer offering puja. Everything needs to be verified before any payment is made, the commissioner
told at the meeting,” said another officer, referring to the top cop.

Verma asked the Puja committees to exercise caution against accidents during immersion processions.

A few days ago, a man accompanying a Durga Puja immersion procession on a truck crashed into a height bar near the Alipore zoo and died a few hours later.

Representatives of other utilities like the CESC, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, state fire and emergency services, public works department, Pollution Control Board and Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority were present at the coordination meeting.

Many puja committee members raised the concern against use of sky lanterns on Diwali.

“Sky lanterns are extremely hazardous and should not be allowed to be lit during Diwali at all,” said a Kali puja committee member who had attended the meeting.

The police said they were making appeals not to use sky lanterns, just like they were telling people not to burst anything other than green crackers.

Another government official who attended the meeting said the major points related to bursting crackers were reiterated.

“The puja committees were told not to burst anything other than green crackers beyond the stipulated time as per the court order. They were told to follow the immersion rules and to ensure the safety of people who were going for immersion on trucks,” said the official.