Two men posing as pony service providers caught on Vaishno Devi route

Two men were booked for allegedly impersonating pony service providers using fake documents on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi route in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, officials said.

During routine patrolling near Shri Geeta Mata Mandir, police team intercepted a man identifying as one Puran Singh. On verifying, police found his name to be Manir Hussain.

He was using someone else's authorised service card to operate illegally, police said, adding that an FIR under relevant sections of law has been registered at Katra Police Station. 

In a similar case near Ban Ganga bridge, police caught Sahil Khan, who was from Kotli in Jammu district, for allegedly operating a pony service without any valid license.

He admitted that he had no authorisation and a case was registered, police said.

Authorities said surveillance and verification drives would continue to curb unauthorised activities on the shrine route. Police have urged all service providers to carry valid documents and requested the public to report suspicious behaviour.

Following the terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed, authorities have stepped have security measures across Jammu and Kashmir.