ATM fraud: DTPC to monitor resorts

ALAPPUZHA: The District Tourism Promotion Council has decided to monitor the employees in homestays and resorts here  in view of the ATM card fraud committed by a resort employee at Punnamada.

The police had on Monday arrested Jinto Joy, 30,   for defrauding some tourists of  Rs 2 lakh  with the fake ATM cards made with the help of his friend Fahad, who worked in Dubai.

Such a fraud was reported from here for the first time though the houseboat agents and employees have often been accused of fleecing the tourists.

“The District Tourism Promotion Council had  recently instructed the resorts to ensure the security of the  guests.  It  has decided to convene a meeting of all resort and homestay owners to discuss the matter and collect the details of their employees ”  said Mr C. Pradeep, secretary, DTPC.       

The DTPC data show that there are 186 approved homestays in Alappuzha. A senior official of the police hi-tech cell said that  trained police personnel had   been deployed in every district to look into the financial fraud cases.

District police chief V. Sureshkumar said the police  would try to eliminate  such frauds in the district, the  major tourism destination of the state.