Retired army colonel, wife duped of Rs 49 lakh in 'digital arrest' scam
Hamirpur, Apr 18 (PTI): Cybercriminals allegedly placed a retired Indian Army colonel and his wife under "digital arrest" and duped them of Rs 49 lakh in this Himachal Pradesh district, police said on Friday.
The complainant received a video call on WhatsApp in which a man introduced himself as an "officer of the Mumbai Crime Branch". The suspected fraudster claimed that the retired army officer's Aadhaar was used to procure four SIM cards and open a bank account in Mumbai that was used to launder Rs 2 crore.
The fraudster also threatened to look into the couple's bank accounts.
The victims were under "supervision" of the fraudster for almost 11 hours a day since first receiving a call on March 23. They were also kept on video call while transferring money via RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement) to the account number provided by the accused, according to the complaint lodged by the retired army officer.
Claiming that the source of the couple's funds was being investigated, the accused demanded money and the complainant transferred Rs 9 lakh on March 29 and Rs 40 lakh on April 4.
The couple were kept under "digital arrest" till April 7. When they realised they had been cheated, they approached the police on April 10.
A case of cheating was registered at the Cyber Crime police station in Mandi and Rs 5.58 lakh frozen in some suspicious accounts. The accused had moved the money that the couple had transferred to 22 accounts, the police said.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Cyber Crime) Mohit Chawla said the law did not have any provision for "digital arrest".
"Do not fall prey to fraudsters and lose your life's savings. If you receive any such call or message, contact the toll free 1930 number," he added.
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17 newborn girl children named Sindoor in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar
Kushinagar (UP), May 12 (PTI): Inspired by Operation Sindoor, India's military action against Pakistan to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack last month, 17 newborn girls here have been named Sindoor by their families.
"As many as 17 newborn girls born on May 10 and 11 in Kushinagar Medical College have been named Sindoor by their family members," Principal Dr RK Shahi told PTI on Monday.
Twenty-six people, a majority of them tourists, were killed and several injured when terrorists opened fire at Baisaran meadow in the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22.
In retaliation, Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir. All subsequent retaliations to Pakistani offensives were carried out under the moniker Operation Sindoor.
Hailing Indian armed forces for "giving a befitting reply to Pakistan", Kushinagar resident Archana Shahi said she named her newly born baby girl after the military operation.
"Following the Pahalgam attack, the lives of a number of married women were ruined when they lost their husbands. Operation Sindoor was carried out by the Indian Army in response to that. We are proud of this. Sindoor is not a word but an emotion now. So, we have decided to name our daughter Sindoor," Archana said.
Her husband Ajit Shahi echoed the sentiments. "Archana and I had thought of the name even before our daughter was born. This word is an inspiration for us," he said.
Madan Gupta from Padrauna said ever since India avenged the killing of the 26 innocent people, his daughter-in-law Kajal Gupta wanted to name her newborn Sindoor.
"That way, we will remember this operation and celebrate this day," Gupta told PTI.
Vyasmuni from Bhathahi Babu village has taken a similar decision, saying it would instil courage in his daughter.
"When my daughter grows up, she will understand the true meaning of this word and present herself as a dutiful woman for Mother India," he said.
Priyanka Devi from Padrauna has also joined others and decided to name her daughter after India's military action, the Kushinagar Medical College principal said.
On the trend of parents naming their daughters Sindoor, Pradeep Khatri, who teaches psychology at Lucknow's National PG College, told PTI, "The parents intend to instil patriotism in their children. When these girls grow up, the parents may tell them why they were named so. It will develop patriotic feelings inside these girl children."
