Kolar man held for posing as 'baba' to rob families, used to spend stolen riches on three wives and 10 children

Bengaluru: A cycle repair shop owner posing as a 'Baba' (holy man) to steal gold ornaments from homes on the pretext of performing special rituals was arrested by the Hulimavu police Tuesday. 

The accused, identified as one Dadapeer, a 49-year-old resident of Kolar, targeted middle-class families in Bengaluru and other cities by claiming he could remove evil forces and solve family problems through rituals. 

After gaining the victims' trust, he would ask them to bring their jewellery for "special puja". During the ritual, he would keep the ornaments in a box, sprinkle turmeric and flowers, and ask the family members to step out, saying he needed to perform the ritual alone. He would later disappear with the valuables, instructing the victims not to open the box for 21 days. 

Police said Dadapeer approached families from different communities, dressing and speaking in ways that matched their faith. He frequently changed SIM cards and names to evade detection. Investigations revealed that he had three wives, 10 children and several extramarital relationships. He allegedly spent the stolen money on his partners and personal luxuries. 

With his arrest, police have solved at least three cases and recovered gold ornaments worth Rs 53 lakh. Police believe he committed similar offences in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.