Lucknow: A woman was duped of cash and jewellery in Thakurganj area on Sunday afternoon. The fraudsters, posing as passersby seeking directions, stole the woman's jewellery by tricking her into accepting a bundle of money that turned out to be fake.
The victim, identified as 50-year-old Rama, had come to Bharat Hospital in Thakurganj for ultrasound after undergoing surgery for a kidney stone.
At 3:30pm, two young men approached her outside the hospital, asking for directions to Charbagh. They engaged her in conversation and tricked her into handing them her earrings and mangalsutra (wedding necklace). They wrapped the jewellery in a cloth and handed it back to her, along with a bundle of cash, asking her to open it in the hospital bathroom.
When Rama unwrapped the cloth, only to find it filled with pebbles instead of her jewellery and money. The bundle of notes contained one genuine 100-rupee note, while the rest were scraps of paper tied together to look like currency. Shocked, the woman filed a complaint with the police.
Police are now investigating the matter, led by Thakurganj Police Station in charge, under the supervision of station head Shri Kant Rai. Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the culprits and take further action.