Kochi: IS terrorists who reached Kerala had hide out in online room booking hotels, said the invesigation department. Online booking hotels do not have any hard and fast rules , rather such hotels function as den of terrorists as they do not follow any inspection. Kochi City Police Commissioner S Surendran has stated that those hotels which do not have details of guests are under strict observation.
Thousands of hotels have registered in various online room booking apps. One can easily book rooms anywhere by fake registration and by giving some others’ mobile number for receiving OTP. Moreover, many people can stay in a hotel by submitting one identity card. Primary investigation report says this facility was misused by the Sri Lankan terror team to stay there. Sri Lankan Army Chief had earlier revealed that terror team had reached Kerala for training. Two militants had reached the state in 2017.
Normally, security measures are not taken in hotels that are booked through online systems. Such hotels publish advertisements with captions like ‘Couple friendly’ and ‘Hotels for unmarried couples’ etc. Such ads provide indirect security to terrorists to book rooms. Kochi City Police Commissioner added that hotels and flats that have online room booking facilities will be scrutinised and based on the Intelligence reports, Police are on high alert in this issue.
Intelligence departments also confirm that activities of terror, conversions and sexual molestation are being held in the hotels and flats with online booking facilities.
