India, Dec. 26 -- 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 w...