Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam Executive Officer V.K. Seena Naik on Wednesday (January 21) warned devotees not to fall prey to fraudulent phone calls made in the temple’s name.
In a statement, the E.O. highlighted that some individuals have recently contacted devotees, claiming to represent the temple and offering special services or gifts.
Reports suggest that callers are attempting to convince devotees that they will send “silk saree” offering to the deity or conduct special pujas in their name. Mr. Naik clarified that the temple does not make personal phone calls to devotees, and no such services are being offered.
“These are cyber frauds designed to extort money from unsuspecting devotees,” Mr. Naik said, urging the public to remain vigilant. He emphasised that devotees should not share personal information, including bank account details, with unknown callers.
For temple services, puja bookings or donations, devotees are advised to use only the temple’s official website or the government’s “Mana Mitra” WhatsApp service, as well as authorised temple information centres. Payments for offerings or donations should also be made exclusively through these official channels.
Published – January 21, 2026 08:27 pm IST
