Fake cops strike again, robs two women

• Two elderly women duped at Jaripatka and Rana Pratap Nagar area

By Dheeraj Fartode

Menace of fake cops is increasing day by day as cops have failed to trace the gangs which are operating without any fear of law in broad day light and targeting hapless senior citizens, especially women. On Sunday morning, two more incidents of fake cops cheating unsuspecting people were reported in the city. 

In first incident, two men posing as cops hoodwinked a 68-year-old woman and forced her to part with ornaments worth Rs 1.10 lakh in Jaripatka area. The crime took place at around 8 am when Pumpibai Devandas Jhombani was going to her home situated at Plot No. 127, Bhim chowk. Posing as cops, a 60-year-old man approached Pumpibai and told her that his senior police officer is standing near a tree. “Let’s go there and talk with him,” the man told the woman. 

As Pumpibai met the so called police officer, he showed her a picture of criminal and told her that this is photo of a robber who has committed robberies in the area. “He had attacked many citizens here. Do you identify him?,” he asked the unsuspecting lady. Pumpibai obviously answered in negative. Later, he asked the elderly woman to remove the ornaments and wrap them in the paper. Convinced about their authority, the unsuspecting victim without showing any dissent, simply removed her gold bangles, rings and wrapped them in a paper and handed them to the fake police officer. The man involved Pumpibai in further discussion and returned the paper to her. Pumpibai put the paper in a bag and went to her house without realising that she had been duped by this cunning fraudsters posing as cops. 

After reaching home, she opened the paper only to find plastic bangles. A shocked Pumpibai narrated entire incident to her relatives who immediately searched for the fake cops but could not locate these tricksters who apparently vanished from the spot. Later, they went to Jaripatka Police Station and lodged a complaint. Jaripatka police have registered the case under Sections 419 and 34 of Indian Penal Code. 

In another case, 60-year-old pedestrian woman was duped by three fake policemen of her gold ornaments worth Rs 45,000 at Rana Pratap Nagar area on Sunday. 

According to police, the crime took place at 11 am when the woman was walking near Navnirman Society. Three conmen approached her saying a murder took place in the area. They asked her to remove the ornaments and put them in a bag for safety. When the woman removed her gold ornaments, the accused took off her gold ornaments and handed over to her after wrapping them in a paper. However, before she could understand anything they fled from the spot along with her valuables. Rana Pratap Nagar police have registered the case under Sections 170, 420 and 34 of IPC. 

It may be mentioned that four fake policemen duped an elderly woman of her gold ornaments worth Rs 60,000 at Ram Nagar square last Monday by dishing out a lie that robbers had murdered and looted an aged woman in the area. Cops have registered the case and also recovered CCTV footage but could not arrest the accused. Cases of fake policeman are being reported across the city. But, so far, the tricksters are yet to be nabbed. 

Don’t fall prey to fraudsters 

Nagpur police has already issued an advisory and appealed citizens not to fall pray to tricks of such fraudsters. This fake cop menace is on the rise and particularly elderly women are being targetted by the tricksters who often force the gullible victims to part with their gold ornaments and later decamp with the real jewellery. “The Nagpur police is not checking gold ornaments of any citizen, if anyone asks for it please inform concern police station or police control room on phone no 100,” the Nagpur Police have appealed. 

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