Varanasi: Chopan police in Sonbhadra arrested four members of a gang that posed as sadhus and targeted families of missing people, allegedly exploiting their emotions to extort money.
The gang came under the police scanner after it allegedly cheated a family whose child had been missing for 13 years. Sonbhadra SP Abhishek Verma said Jhura Gosai (46) Sintu (29), Sehalu alias Selu (66), and Sangal Prasad (29), all residents of Balrampur district, were arrested on Tuesday. The complainant’s relative had been missing for 13 years, according to police. Police said the gang demanded Rs 6 lakh as ‘dakshina’ and for a feast, warning that non-payment would bring illness and ruin. When the family expressed its inability to arrange the amount, the demand was allegedly reduced to ₹5 lakh. The family allegedly mortgaged its cattle, house and land and transferred ₹1 lakh to a bank account provided by the accused.
Police said he collected details about family members and relatives and broke down during the meeting in an apparent attempt to win their trust. When the family reached there, the alleged impersonator showed marks on his body to support his claim of being the missing person, police said. During interrogation, the accused confessed targeting families with long-missing relatives in UP and other states, said police.
One of the accused, posing as a sadhu, allegedly approached the family claiming to be the missing child and went on to extort money from them. A case has been registered against them under relevant provisions of BNS. On Nag Panchami , two men dressed as sadhus reached Peeparjhagar in Garhwa police station area of Madhya Pradesh and contacted the family. One of the men allegedly claimed to be the missing youth. The accused later gave the family a mobile number and asked them to meet him in Vindhyachal. However, further demands raised suspicion, after which Chopan police were informed.