Bhubaneswar: In a case of cyber fraud, a man in Odisha lost nearly ₹2.91 lakh after downloading a fake mobile application while attempting to book a cooking gas cylinder online.

The victim, identified as Rajesh Bose, was searching for an LPG booking app when he came across a link on a social media platform. Unaware of the risks, he downloaded the application. Soon after installation, multiple unauthorised transactions began debiting money from his bank account.

Rajesh realised the fraud on May 18 after discovering around ₹2.91 lakh had been siphoned off from his account. He subsequently filed a complaint with the cyber police.

Preliminary investigations indicate the stolen money was withdrawn from an ATM in Assam. Police suspect cybercriminals used the fake app and malicious links to gain access to the victim’s banking details.

The cyber police have initiated a detailed probe and are working to trace those responsible for the fraud.