‘Baba’, aides dupe elderly woman of gold, cash

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 30

An elderly woman, Gurcharan Kaur, was duped by a person posing as a baba (a godman) and his two accomplices including a girl when she was returning home after paying obeisance at the historic Chheharta Sahib Gurdwara here.

The swindlers took away her gold ornaments and Rs 1,500 in cash from her on the pretext of preaching and doubling the amount.

Following her complaint, the Chhheharta police have registered a case under Sections 420 and 120-B, IPC, against three unknown persons while initiating investigations. The incident, however, occurred on March 19, though a complaint was filed only yesterday, said the police authorities.

The victim said that on March 19, she along with her grandson was returning home after paying obeisance at the shrine. She said on the way she was confronted by a baba who asked her about Dera Bhuriwala. She said when she told him that there was no such dera here, he went away.

Soon after, she stated, a couple in their mid-twenties, came to her and asked for the baba. She said she narrated the incident to them after which the couple said that ‘Sant ji’ was very spiritual and had spiritual powers. Meanwhile, the baba also reached there. She said they lured her and took her to at a dera and removed her gold bangles, a gold ring and also took Rs 1,500 from her.

She said that before filing the report, she was searching for them and when she failed to locate them, she lodged a police complaint.

Investigating officer ASI Jaspal Singh said the matter was under investigation and they were trying to identify the tricksters after registration of a case.