Nagpur: In a shocking daylight crime exposing the audacity of impostors, a 63-year-old farmer was duped and robbed of gold ornaments worth Rs 4.35 lakh by two men posing as police personnel under the jurisdiction of Khaparkheda Police Station near Nagpur on Monday morning.
The victim, Hiraman Lodkuji Patil, a resident of Shivkrupa Nagar in Bhilgaon, was on his way to his agricultural field in Waregaon when he fell prey to the well-orchestrated deception.
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According to police sources, the incident began around 8.15 am when Patil halted at Waregaon Chowk to purchase milk. Two unidentified men on a black motorcycle approached him, introduced themselves as police officers, and questioned him for allegedly ignoring their earlier signal to stop. After a brief exchange, they left, only to return minutes later with a more calculated plan.
Between 8.30 am and 9 am, the duo intercepted Patil again on Suradevi Road near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hostel in Waregaon. This time, they warned him about a spate of thefts in the area and questioned why he was openly wearing gold jewellery. Playing on fear and authority, the impostors convinced the elderly farmer to remove his ornaments for “safekeeping.”
Trusting their words, Patil removed two gold chains weighing approximately 50 grams and three gold rings weighing 37 grams, placing them in a bag. The accused then offered to “verify” and securely wrap the jewellery. In a swift sleight of hand, they replaced the original gold with fake items, wrapped the packet in white paper, and returned it before fleeing the spot.
The fraud came to light only after Patil reached his farm and opened the packet, discovering that his valuables had been cleverly swapped.
Police have registered a case against the unidentified accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and launched a manhunt to trace the culprits. Authorities have urged citizens, especially elderly residents, to remain vigilant and avoid trusting unknown individuals claiming to be officials without proper identification.
