Police launch festive campaign Santa ki seekh
On a winter evening in Delhi, as fairy lights twinkled across markets and shoppers moved between stalls heavy with festive bargains, a familiar red-and-white figure appeared, not to hand out gifts, but to deliver a warning. Santa Claus, flanked by police volunteers and curious children, was talking about cyber safety.
This was part of the Delhi Police’s citywide cyber awareness campaign, aptly titled “Santa Ki Seekh,” rolled out across all 15 police districts during the festive season.
The aim was simple yet urgent: reach people where they gather in large numbers and remind them that online fraud does not take a holiday.
From busy malls to crowded neighbourhood markets, one prominent public location in each district was turned into a learning space. Instead of lectures behind closed doors, the police took cyber awareness to the streets.
Loudspeakers crackled, posters went up, and colourful standees carrying cyber safety tips stood alongside food stalls and shopfronts.
At several locations, the campaign unfolded like a small festival within the larger festive rush. Police teams organised quizzes on digital safety, asking shoppers how to spot fake links or what to do if a UPI payment goes wrong. Children tugged at their parents’ sleeves, eager to answer questions and win small gifts printed with cyber awareness messages. Laughter often followed wrong answers, but the lessons stayed.
The heart of the outreach was its interactive approach. Police personnel spoke in simple language, explaining common online scams, fake customer care calls, and phishing links.
Question-and-answer sessions drew in passers-by who shared their own stories: a missed delivery scam, a suspicious OTP request, or a relative who lost money to a fake investment scheme.
In some markets, the message came alive through nukkad nataks. Local performers enacted short street plays showing how easily a moment of carelessness online can turn into financial loss. A character clicking on a fake link would freeze mid-scene as a police officer stepped in to explain what went wrong. Applause often followed, along with thoughtful nods from the crowd.
The festive timing was deliberate. With online shopping, digital payments and holiday offers at their peak, cybercriminals are most active. Delhi Police used this moment to urge citizens to stay alert.
People were advised not to share personal details, PINs or OTPs, and to report cybercrime incidents without delay through official channels.
The campaign reached thousands across the city in a single day, cutting across age and class. Office-goers paused on their way home, senior citizens listened attentively, and teenagers recorded parts of the programme on their phones to share online. The presence of Santa Claus helped draw attention, especially among children, turning the message into something warm and memorable rather than fearful.
“Santa Ki Seekh” is part of a larger push by Delhi Police to tackle cybercrime through awareness, alongside enforcement. Under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Satish Golchha, the force has held multiple such programmes in recent months, recognising that prevention begins with knowledge.
As the evening lights dimmed and markets slowly closed, the red suit disappeared into the crowd. But the advice lingered: think before you click, verify before you trust, and speak up if something feels wrong. In a city racing toward a digital future, Delhi Police chose an old-fashioned way to connect, face to face, story by story, in the middle of everyday life.
