📰 Gir Safari Ticket Scam: Gandhinagar Cyber Centre of Excellence Busts Online Fraud Targeting Wildlife Tourists
In a shocking cyber fraud targeting wildlife enthusiasts and tourists, the Gandhinagar Cyber Centre of Excellence has busted a gang that manipulated the official Gir Jungle Safari booking system. The gang created an artificial shortage of safari slots on the Gujarat government’s official tourism website and then resold the same tickets at inflated prices through a fake private portal.
⚖️ How the Gir Safari Ticket Scam Worked
Cyber officials have arrested three accused —
- Alpeshkumar Bhalani (resident of Thaltej, Ahmedabad)
- Sultan Baloch (native of Mendarda, Junagadh)
- Ejaz Shaikh (native of Mendarda, Junagadh)
These accused exploited the official tourism booking portal by bulk-booking thousands of safari slots. Once the website showed “No Slots Available,” they resold the same safari permits on a fake website created under a bogus name — charging double or triple the original price during weekends, holidays, and festive seasons like Diwali.
💻 Cyber Investigation and Technical Findings
According to Rajdeepsinh Zala, SP, State Cyber Cell, Gujarat —
“We requested detailed booking data from the government website’s developer. A technical audit of records from January 2024 to October 2025 revealed that over 83,000 permits were booked by suspicious accounts. Of these, around 12,800 permits were sold through the fake website to unsuspecting tourists.”
Investigators tracked digital footprints — including IP addresses, payment trails, and domain registration data — to identify the culprits. The money trail led directly to the trio, who were arrested in phased operations.
💰 Tourists Paid Inflated Prices
While the official safari permit costs between ₹800 and ₹1200, the accused sold them for ₹2500 to ₹4000 each. Many tourists, seeing “no availability” on the official site, believed they were booking through an authorized channel — unaware they were being cheated.
🦁 Why Sasan Gir is a Prime Target
Sasan Gir National Park, home to the Asiatic Lion, is Gujarat’s pride and one of India’s most visited wildlife destinations. During holidays and vacation seasons, safari slots get booked rapidly, which the scammers exploited to their advantage.
🔒 Cyber Police Action and Preventive Steps
The Gandhinagar Cyber Centre has initiated steps to:
- Block the fake website used in the scam.
- Implement anti-bot and fraud detection features on the official booking portal.
- Conduct a forensic audit of suspicious accounts and transactions.
Officials are also probing whether more individuals were part of the larger network that facilitated the resale of safari permits.
🧠 Cyber Awareness Tips for Tourists
- Always book tourism services like safaris and permits only from official websites (e.g.,
.gujarat.gov.inor.gujarattourism.com,girlion.gujarat.gov.in) - Avoid private portals offering “guaranteed slots” or “express booking” options.
- Verify domain authenticity before making payments.
- Report any such cyber frauds immediately to www.cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (National Cyber Helpline).
The Gir Safari ticket scam exposes a new form of cyber fraud in the tourism sector. Cybercriminals are exploiting digital booking systems to deceive the public. Thanks to the swift and technical action of Gujarat’s cyber police, this racket has been dismantled before it could grow larger.
