Ram Mandir VIP Entry Scam: Government Uses 'Hera Pheri' Meme To Alert Devotees

The much-awaited inauguration of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya is scheduled for today, with the 'pran pratistha' (consecration ceremony) of Ram Lalla taking place in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, this opportunity is being misused by scammers, and devotees are being duped in the name of obtaining VIP entry at the event.

What's Ayodhya Ram Mandir Scam?

WhatsApp texts promising free VIP passes to the ceremony, which are fake, have been reported by several people. The receivers are urged to download an APK file attached to the message, which might contain malware and corrupt the phone.

To alert the public, a popular Bollywood meme was shared by Cyber Dost, the cybersecurity handle of the Government of India, to warn devotees of the deceptive WhatsApp scam. The 'Hera Pheri'-themed meme, featuring actors Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal, warns citizens not to click on any suspicious link and avoid making payments to unauthorized websites.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Cyber Dost wrote, "''Beware of recent online frauds: Fraudsters may convince you for Fake passes of VIP Entry regarding "Pran Pratishtha Event" of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya . Don't click any suspicious link and avoid transaction in this regard to unknown number or website." Several government handles are also tagged in the tweet.

Entrance to the temple today will be permitted only for individuals with valid invitations or those on government duty. The 'pran pratishtha' at the Ram Mandir is scheduled to commence at 12:20 pm and is expected to conclude by 1 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will then address a gathering of over 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, at the venue.

More than 7,000 people have been invited by the temple trust to attend the grand inauguration. This includes cricket stars Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni; Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth, Anushka Sharma, Alia Bhatt, and Ranbir Kapoor.

In observance of the consecration ceremony, government offices, boards, and corporations in several states have declared a half-day or a holiday. The Ram temple in Ayodhya will open for 'darshan' to the general public from January 23. Devotees can attend the aarti during two slots - from 7 AM to 11.30 AM and 2 PM to 7 PM, provided they have a pass issued by the trust.