Daltonganj: Six members of a gang involved in cheating people on the pretext of polishing jewellery were arrested in Palamu district on Tuesday, police said. The accused have been identified as Prince (20), Rahul (21), Prabhu (28), Rohan (22), Akshay (22), and Rohit (21), all residents of Bihar's Supaul and Araria districts. They were sent to judicial custody on Wednesday.
The arrests followed a bid to cheat Anita Oraon at Hulsi Khurd village under Naudeeha Bazar police station limits on Tuesday. Police said that Prince and Rahul entered Anita's house posing as jewellery cleaners and first polished her silver ring to gain her confidence. Satisfied with their work, Anita handed over her gold mangalsutra for cleaning. However, the duo handed over a small wrapper and asked her to open it after some time before fleeing with the gold ornament. Sensing foul play, Anita promptly alerted the police. Police swung into action, nabbed Prince and Rahul, and recovered the mangalsutra.
During interrogation, the two revealed details of four more accomplices involved in similar cheating incidents, leading to the arrest of others. Police seized a white powder used for polishing, iron cutters, two bikes, and a small weighing machine from the accused.
SDPO of Chhaterpur, Prashant Kumar, said, "They were a part of a petty organised crime gang. We have registered a case under sections 112 (petty organised crime) of the BNS, 316 (criminal breach of trust), and 318 (cheating) of the BNS."
Modus Operandi of the Gang
The gang's method involved gaining the trust of victims, particularly women, by offering to clean or polish their jewellery. After demonstrating their skill on a small item, they would ask for more valuable ornaments, only to swap them with a fake or flee with the original. This case highlights the importance of vigilance against such scams.
Police Action and Investigation
The prompt action by the victim and the police led to the swift arrest of the suspects. The recovered items include the mangalsutra and tools used in the cheating. The police are investigating if the gang was involved in other similar incidents in the region.
