A cybercrime complaint has been filed by the Bengaluru North City Corporation (BNCC) against websites that were charging users extra for reservations at electric crematoriums located under its jurisdiction.
Officials claimed that some websites and people have been deceiving families during a trying time by providing crematorium booking services and collecting sums greater than the official cost.
The official fee for cremation at the two electric crematoriums under its control, Muktidhama Electric Crematorium in Medi Agrahara and Chirashanthidhama in Hebbal, is Rs 250. However, individuals were complaining that fraudulent websites and agents were requesting extra money from them to reserve places, as per a report by The Hindu.
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A case has since been filed with Yelahanka's Cyber Crime Police. For crematorium reservations, the company has asked citizens not to use private websites or middlemen.
In addition to numerous private facilities, the organisation oversees 12 electric and conventional crematoriums in Bengaluru. According to a BNCC official who talked to the media, the fraud came to light when numerous individuals informed the corporation that they needed to pay large amounts of money to reserve a time slot at its crematoriums.
On June 19, BNCC officials went to the North CEN police station and filed a complaint. Websites like "beleiv.com," "heavengate.in "swargayatraa.com," and others were named in the unidentifiable report, as per a report by The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, in an effort to reduce the amount of smoke produced by traditional wood-based cremations, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) started providing free electric and CNG cremation services earlier this month. The MCD will pay Rs 500 every cremation to NGOs and social groups that run several of the nation's capital's crematoriums. However, traditional wooden cremations are not eligible for the complimentary service.
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Every cremation in an electric or CNG facility saves over 700 kg of wood and greatly lowers air pollution, according to MCD sources. Less than 10% of the dead in Delhi were cremated using electric or CNG furnaces before the launch of this service. According to an MCD official, the civic body will have to pay roughly Rs 20 million annually to provide this service.
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