MARGAO
Fear and anxiety has gripped the parents of school going children from Chinchinim village since they have started receiving calls inviting them for settlement on the plea their wards have landed in trouble.
While the callers claim they belong to the police force, a couple of calls made by the parents on the numbers revealed that the call might have originated from Pakistan.
The modus operandi adopted by the callers is the same in all cases – that their children are caught in a big problem and with a plea to come for a settlement.
At least 4-5 parents are believed to have received similar calls, but sources said no parent had gone in for any settlement with the callers.
The callers are believed to be calling in Hindi with the parents, raising enough suspicions how come the local police have suddenly started speaking in Hindi. In one instance, a parent is believed to have told the caller that he was presently near a police station, forcing the caller to disconnect the call.
Chinchinim village Sarpanch Valentino Barretto has urged the police to investigate into the incidents to remove the fear in the minds of the parents. “We have been told that a member of the PTA also received a call from the callers. The police must go to the root of the problem,” he said, while making an appeal to the people to remain alert.
He added: “One of the parents brought to my notice that when they tried to call back on the number, the call had originated from Pakistan. The police should find out how the callers had access to the telephones of the parents as well as their wards. This is a serious matter and needs to be investigated how come the telephone numbers reached the hands of the fraudsters.”
A delegation of the parents has decided to call on the in-charge of the Cuncolim police station to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
