Fake Bescom workers cheat RR Nagar residents

LED into a trap

Two criminals have stolen thousands of rupees from the residents of Rajarajeshwari Nagar and the surrounding areas by masquerading as Bescom employees.

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) officials said the gang had been in operation for the past six months and cheated nearly 15 families.

The gang asks residents to pay Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 for LED lights, saying they are compulsory from the department. They issue a receipt for the money and ask the residents to collect the lights from the local Bescom office.

“We didn’t announce such a programme. Miscreants demand the money saying it’s only temporary deposit which Bescom officials would later refund. Without checking the authorities, many have paid the money. We learnt about it only when the residents brought the receipt to us,” a senior official from Bescom’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar division told DH.

The official wondered how the public could hand over such a heavy sum of money without checking the identity. “In one instance, the miscreants threatened a resident that their power connection would be cut if they failed to pay the money. The resident was scared and paid them Rs 8,000,” he said.

On Tuesday, the gang tried the same approach on Subbaraya, a resident in BEML (5th stage), Rajarajeshwari Nagar, who refused to pay up. “They didn’t wear Bescom uniform, but were on casual clothing,” Subbaraya said. “They approached me with an LED bulb and offered to replace the entire lighting in my residence with LED for Rs 10,000 which, they said, was refundable by showing the receipt to Bescom officials.”

He continued: “I politely declined the offer. When they sensed that I was suspicious, they left the place.” When Subbaraya called the local Bescom office, he learnt that the miscreants cheated many residents in the locality. Since he was not cheated, he reported the incident to the local police.

But no official complaint has been lodged with the police. A senior Rajarajeshwari Nagar police officer promised to look into the matter by coordinating with Bescom officials.