IDUKKI: A bride-to-be’s dream meeting with her prospective groom, a missing gold chain and a police chase. What happened recently in Thodupuzha would make for a killer movie.
It all began when a 25-year-old woman, originally from Tamil Nadu but living in Thodupuzha for several years, registered on a Tamil matrimonial site seeking to marry again. Her search ended when she came across Abhishek A B, a “doctor” in Bengaluru. Impressed, she sent a request. He accepted, and within six days, the pair were exchanging messages on WhatsApp and making wedding plans.
On August 5, they met for the first time at Thodupuzha private bus stand. Over coffee, the ‘doctor’, in a romantic gesture, offered to add a locket to her gold chain. However, instead of returning it, he wore the chain, saying it was ‘to remember her’. He gave her a fake imitation chain instead.
The drama continued at a nearby textile shop, where he offered to buy her a saree. While she was busy choosing, Abhishek vanished with the chain.
Upon realising the fraud, the woman approached the police with a complaint. The police found that ‘Abhishek’ was actually 30-year-old Karthikraj from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, a fraudster with six similar cases against him.
His preferred targets: Widows and divorcees looking for second marriages on matrimonial sites. He would charm them over coffee and disappear with their gold.
Meanwhile, Karthikraj’s arrest on Wednesday was nothing short of an action film. Led by SI Ajeesh K John, a Thodupuzha police team surrounded his house.
“He fled in a car, starting a 50-km-long chase before his vehicle crashed into a tree. One officer sustained injuries while capturing him,” the police said.
However, the biggest twist was yet to come. The woman who had been living with Karthikraj all this time, had no idea he was a wanted criminal, and not a bank employee as she had been led to believe.
Karthikraj was produced before Muttom court on Thursday. The police said they are checking his links with matrimonial scams in other states.