MAPUSAThe lure to double their money through witchcraft proved costly for two youth after they were duped of Rs 10 lakh in Chiwar-Vagator on Thursday night.
One person, Mohammad Shamsher (31) of Naizabad in Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested in this connection.
Vishal Vegekar of Bicholim lodged a police complaint stating that he had received a call from his friend, Mohinder Govekar, about a month ago stating that someone doubles the money by witchcraft and he would do so with an amount of Rs 10 lakh.
Govekar put in Rs 9 lakh and Vegekar contributed Rs 1 lakh. They later met two persons, Yograj Bhaskar Salve and Mohammad Shamsher, at a hotel room in Vagator on Thursday.
Later at around 9.15 pm, the two suspects took Vegekar and Govekar to Sri Rashtoli Mandir in Chiwar for a ritual. There, Salve took a bag containing Rs 10 lakh and both the suspects fled away. Salve escaped in a Maharashtra-registered SUV parked in front of the temple. The driver and another person were in the SUV. However, Shemsher and two youths were caught and beaten up by a crowd in the temple.
On getting information about the incident, the Anjuna police rushed to the spot and rescued Shemsher from the mob. He was later arrested under Section 379 of IPC. Police are searching for Salve and three absconding suspects.
A Mapusa JMFC later remanded Shamsher to six days in police custody. Anjuna PSI Ashish Porob is conducting further investigation into the matter.
