BICHOLIM
A 65-year-old senior citizen from Bicholim was allegedly cheated of her gold mangalsutra worth approximately Rs 3 lakh by an unidentified man who posed as a police officer, police said on Saturday.
According to Bicholim Police, the incident occurred on Friday around 12.30 pm near Sankalp Building, next to Unnati Flowers Shop in Bicholim. The complainant, Madhavi Naik, a resident of Gaonkarwada, was on her way to a friend’s house when she was approached by an unknown man.
The accused, described as a tall man aged between 40 and 50 years, wearing a whitish full-sleeved shirt and speaking Marathi, allegedly claimed to be a policeman. He reportedly warned the elderly woman about theft cases in the area and advised her to hand over her gold mangalsutra for “safe wrapping” to avoid police fines.
Believing his claim, the woman handed over her gold mangalsutra weighing about 50 grams. The accused then gave her a paper-wrapped packet, claiming it contained the jewellery, and fled from the spot. Upon checking later, the packet was found to contain only two small stones.
The victim suffered a loss of approximately Rs 3,00,000 due to the incident.
Based on the complaint, Bicholim Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, pertaining to cheating, impersonation, and criminal breach of trust. A wireless alert has been issued to police control rooms in Panaji and Porvorim to trace the accused.
Police have urged citizens, especially senior citizens, to remain cautious and verify the identity of anyone claiming to be law enforcement officials before handing over valuables.
