Nagpur.
A gang of crooks posing as bogus policemen on Saturday created havoc in Nagpur and tricked and robbed five elderly persons of their gold ornaments worth over Rs 1,75,000 in five separate incidents. Whether a gang was operating or the same criminals posed as bogus cops in different areas and targeted the five aged persons could be revealed after a thorough investigation.
The 74-year old L Subramaniyam Anant Subramaniyam, resident of Plot No. 46(B), Hill Road, Gokulpeth, was the first target of the bogus cops. Subramaniyam had embarked on morning walk around 7.15 on Saturday and was passing through Shivaji Nagar Garden road. Suddenly two unidentified goons, in the age group of 25-35 years, accosted him posing as “policemen” and scared him by telling that robberies are taking place in the area and he should remove the gold chain and ring. Believing the bogus policemen, Subramaniyam handed the over his gold booty worth Rs 32,000 to them. But even before Subramaniyam could realize that he is being tricked the goons fled the spot on their motorcycle.
Ambazari PSI Chaudhari, acting on Subramaniyam’s complaint booked the fake cops under Sections 170, 420, 34 of IPC and launched a search to nab them.
But even before the incident could get probed, an 85-year old woman Krishnabai Tekchand Popli, resident of Plot No. 260, Satnami Nagar, was relieved of her gold bangles worth Rs 50,000. Krishnabai was returning home after performing puja at Durga Mandir in the area. As soon as she stepped out of the temple, four persons in the age group of 25-50 years came near her. Posing as policemen, the accused informed Krishnabai that they help elderly persons. The accused in dreadful tone told her that Puja Sharma has been robbed of her gold. The bogus cops then asked Krishnabai to put her gold bangles worth Rs 50,000 in her bag. Later, pretending to help her, the fake policemen took the gold bangles from her and acted as keeping them in her bag. But what they kept in the bag were cheap metal bangles. Once grabbed the gold stuff, the four fake cops vanished from the spot.
Lakadganj PSI Dubey registered an offence under Sections 420, 170, 34 of IPC and launched a search to nab the bogus cops.
Adopting the same modus operandi, nine robbers posing as policemen tricked three more elderly persons in different areas. The victims are Vasanta Vinayak Lajurkar (75), resident of Flat No. G/21, Rachana Angan Apartment, Jaitala, Nimichand Biharilal Jain (61), native of Bhopal but presently staying in Gopalnagar, and Suchitra Vasant Joshi (59), resident of Takiya Dhantoli. The nine criminals posed as fake cops and looted Vasanta, Nimichand and Suchitra of their gold ornaments worth Rs 30,000, Rs 32,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively. The goons adopted the same trick of scaring the victims with fictitious stories of robberies occurring in the areas and asking them to hand over the booty to them. Two of the fake cops were riding a motorcycle (MH-31/ 9080).
Pratap Nagar and Dhantoli police have registered the offences and launched a hunt to nab the bogus policemen.
Representational pic
