Tirupur man takes bike buyer for a ride, held

Coimbatore: A 23-year-old man was arrested for duping a 19-year-old youth of Rs 30,000 by offering to sell his bike to him in an online deal.
The Race Course police said S Vikram, a native of Vani Nagar at Darasuram near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district, had contacted Lakshmanakumar, a resident of Duraisamy Nagar at Rakkipalayam in Tirupur district, on July 15 based on an advertisement posted by the latter on OLX to sell his bike. The two then struck the deal for Rs 55,000.
Lakshmanakumar, a police officer said, asked Vikram to meet him near Anna Statue signal in Coimbatore on July 21 to seal the deal. “Vikram, along with his friend Santhosh, a resident of Saravanampatti, met him as scheduled. Lakshmanakumar showed them photocopy of his Aadhaar card and Vikram brought down the deal amount to Rs 50,000 after inspecting the vehicle. The bike owner also agreed to the revised price.”
Vikaram, the officer said, paid an advance amount of Rs 30,000 to the bike owner, who said he had pledged the registration certificate of the vehicle and asked the former to collect the same from his mother, who lives in Coimbatore, after two days.
“Before handing over the bike, Lakshmanakumar expressed his wish to ride the bike for one last time and Vikram agreed. The bike owner, however, sped away with his vehicle. He later switched off his mobile phone as well,” the officer said.
When Vikram came across the same advertisement on OLX a few days ago, the officer said, he contacted Lakshmanakumar through his employer Parthiban and struck a deal. “Lakshmanakumar asked Parthiban to meet him at Lakshmi Mills Junction in Coimbatore on Saturday around 9am. When the two were talking, Vikaram and his friends caught Lakshmanakumar and produced him before the Race Course police,” the officer said.
Based on Vikram’s complaint, police registered a case against Lakshmanakumar under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and arrested him the same evening.