BERHAMPUR: A man posing as a police official allegedly stole gold earrings worth around Rs 50,000 from a woman after threatening her with a hefty traffic fine on National Highway-16 near Balugaon on Friday evening.
The victim, identified as Kama Gouda of Bikrampur village under Khallikote police station limits in Ganjam district, was travelling with her husband on a scooter to Balugaon for treatment when the incident took place. According to the complaint lodged by the couple at Balugaon police station, a young man in police uniform intercepted the couple on NH-16 and threatened to impose a fine of Rs 50,000 because the couple’s scooter had an extra light fitting, which was not permitted. He allegedly introduced himself as a member of a squad attached to the Chhatrapur Regional Transport Office and said a special checking was underway for Dussehra.
When the woman said she was going for treatment, the impostor allegedly advised her to leave the scooter behind, warning that riding it further would attract a fine. He offered to take her on his motorcycle, leaving her husband behind with the scooter. Midway through the journey, the man told the woman that a woman deputy superintendent of police was conducting checks for gold and silver ornaments ahead. He instructed her to remove her gold earrings and conceal them in her pallu to avoid trouble during the alleged checking. Believing him, the woman removed her earrings. As soon as she did so, the man reportedly stopped the motorcycle and threw some powder into her eyes. The identity of the accused is being investigated, police said.