Man falls for ‘reward’ in exchange for Re 1 note; loses Rs 10 lakh
Mumbai, Apr 19 (PTI): A cashier of a state-run insurance company lost Rs 10.38 lakh after fraudsters lured him with the promise of a hefty reward in exchange for a Re 1 note, an official said on Saturday.
The incident came to light on Thursday, when the 45-year-old complainant, a resident of Mumbai’s Santacruz West, approached the West Region Cyber Police Station, the official said.
The man, who works at the Churchgate branch of the insurer, told the police that he came across an advertisement while watching social media reels on February 23.
The ad promised a reward of Rs 4.53 lakh to those producing a one-rupee note. It had a WhatsApp number, the official said.
The cashier sent a photo of a Re 1 note on the WhatsApp number, following which a person, who introduced himself as Pankaj Singh, got in touch with him. Singh said he worked at a coin shop.
The caller asked the man to fill out a form and collected Rs 6,160 for "registration". After some time, he again called the complainant, saying the earlier amount was incorrect and he would need to transfer Rs 6,107, the official said.
The caller also promised that the previously transferred amount would be refunded. Subsequently, Singh connected the complainant with another person, who identified himself as Arun Sharma.
Sharma sent the victim a letter from “RBI” about winning the reward in exchange for a Re 1 note.
However, the two smooth-talked the cashier and collected Rs 10.38 lakh from the complainant under various pretexts, the official said.
The cashier realised that he had been duped when the accused told him the reward amount could be raised to Rs 25.56 lakh if he paid Rs 6 lakh more. He then approached the police.
A case has been registered under the IT Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the official said, adding that a probe was underway.
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
