The police are on the lookout for a ‘godman’ who allegedly gave sedatives to an octogenarian woman and her paralysed daughter, only to make away with their jewellery.
Ratnamma, who suffered a stroke several years ago, lives with her brother Ashwath Reddy and mother in BTM Layout. On November 3, Ms. Ratnamma’s mother stepped out to buy medicines for her daughter. While she was at the medical shop, the man approached her and said he knew of her daughter’s problem. He promised to cure her by performing a puja.
The police said, believing the ‘godman’, the mother asked for more details. He then instructed her to prepare for the puja that evening itself and specifically told them to wear all the jewellery they owned. He also added that no man should be present in the house during the ritual. Desperate to get her daughter cured, the mother did not question him further.
She did not inform her son either as the two had been fighting over the treatment method for Ms. Ratnamma.
Jewellery stolen
The police said the man arrived at their residence later in the evening, and gave the women “holy water”. He also gave them a powder, which he said was holy ash from a Shiva temple, and asked them to mix it with the water. As the two women drank it, they lost consciousness. When they woke up a few hours later, they realised that their jewellery, a total of 160 grams, was gone.
It was only then that the mother told her son what had happened. Mr. Reddy, in his complaint to the Madiwala police, said they had appointed a nurse to look after Ms. Ratnamma, but she had not turned up for work since the incident took place.
The police said they have secured visuals of the ‘godman’ from the medical store where he contacted the woman. They are also ascertaining whether the missing nurse was involved.