JOIN USConmen struck at three places in the City, duping three elderly women and making away with 230 gm of gold ornaments from them.
All three cases were reported from the North Division. The suspects used their familiar modus operandi: pose as cops, reprimanding senior citizens for wearing gold jewellery as there was a murder for gain a few streets away, and assuring them to keep their jewellery safe. Pretending to wrap it safely in a piece of paper, they made away with the jewellery .
The first incident was reported in Jalahalli. Lakshmamma, 65, resident of 4th Cross MES Ring Road, was duped by two men. At about 9:15 am, when Lakshmamma was returning home after visiting a shop in the corner of the street to buy household items, the suspects accosted her and divested her of 80 gm gold chain she was wearing.
An hour and a half later, in JC Nagar, Ratnabai, 55, a resident of Mattadahalli, was similarly duped of her of gold chain and two gold bangles, all weighing about 100 gm. She was returning home after visiting a nearby temple in Ankappa Block.
Within another hour, the gang struck at R T Nagar where Saraswathi, 63, a resident of Ganganagar, was returning home after buying vegetables, and divested her of a gold chain weighing about 50 gm.
DCP (North) Sandeep Patil said they would spare no efforts in busting the gang. He said special teams would be sent to Bidar, Gulbarga, Belgaum and other places where the gang members hail from.
He said they would verify the location of all known members of the gang and take measures to nab the culprits. He also said the City police would step up its awareness campaign to educate the public not to fall prey to such traps.
Guard, youth murdered
A guard and a youth were found murdered in the City on Saturday. Whitefield Police, on being alerted by residents of Nelloorahalli about foul smell emanating from a security guard’s cabin at a mobile tower in the area, rushed to the spot to break open the door and find the guard murdered.
According to T D Pawar, DCP (South-East), the suspects had slit the guard’s throat and set his body on fire.
The deceased has been identified as Abdullah, 60. Whitefield Police said the mobile tower is installed by Viom Networks where Abdullah was working as security guard. Police said they would seek information from the private security agency and mobile tower company. They have registered a case of murder and are investigating.
In another incident, a youth was found with grievous injuries at a bus stop near Hosaguddadahalli Arch on Mysore Road early Saturday morning. Anand, an auto rickshaw driver who found the youth abandoned by the roadside near the arch at around 2 am, alerted the police who rushed to the spot and shifted him to Victoria Hospital.
The youth, however, died an hour later. The deceased is yet to be identified. He had sustained stab injuries on his left thigh and head. Byatarayanapura police have registered a murder case.