Kumbh Mela ticket booking: Priest duped of Rs 1.60L

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A case has emerged in the city involving a priest who was deceived under the pretence of securing a ticket to the Maha Kumbh Mela. An FIR has been filed at the CEN (Central Division) Police Station following the complaint of a 42-year-old priest who lost Rs 1.60 lakh after responding to a Facebook advertisement. The priest, residing in Vyalikaval, was exploring travel options to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh Mela when he encountered an advertisement for Karthikeyan Tours and Travels on Facebook.

He was subsequently contacted by an unidentified individual who, during a phone conversation, assured him that tickets for the event would be booked. Over time, this individual managed to extract Rs 1.60 lakh from the priest through online transactions. However, the promised tickets were never booked after the funds were transferred.

The CEN police said they had registered a case and initiated an investigation. Previously, a similar incident was reported at the Jnanabharathi police station, where Pradeep, a resident of BDA Layout, was defrauded of Rs 64,000 under the guise of a tour package to the Kumbh Mela.