We were told another case in which a man who posed as a Budubuduke Swamiji in Bengaluru got his gold jewellery worth around ₹1.20 lakh stolen in a similar way that the victims were told they were at risk by strangers who were acting like religious people and that the family was under great spiritual threat from the time of their family and they went through a false religious ritual to carry out the theft.
The shocking incident took place in Heggadadevanapura, which falls under the jurisdiction of Madanayakanahalli Police Station in Bengaluru North, and it is sending a new wave of warning about fraudsters taking advantage of people’s religious beliefs.
Fake Swami used Fear to gain Trust
According to initial information, the accused arrived at the victim’s house in a traditional Budubuduke Swamiji outfit. He claimed to have spiritual powers and told the family that there was a “death-related curse” or serious misfortune looming over their household.
The man told the family only a special puja could remove the threat and protect them from impending tragedy.
With fear of his claims, the family agreed to perform the ritual.
Jewellery Collected for 'Puja'
As part of the so-called religious ceremony, the fake godman ordered the family to put their gold ornaments before him, claiming they needed to be blessed during the puja.
With trust in his words, the family handed over the jewellery.
However, taking advantage of the situation, the accused fled with the valuables instead of completing the ritual.
The stolen ornaments are estimated to be worth ₹1.20 lakh.
Police Launch Investigation
When the family realized they had been cheated, they approached Madanayakanahalli Police, who registered a case and started an investigation.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage from other surveillance cameras in the area and collecting evidence to trace the accused, and the police are also looking to find out if the suspect is linked to similar frauds in Bengaluru and Karnataka.
No arrests were reported at the time of writing
The Increasing Concern Over Fake Godmen.
The incident has once again brought attention to the increasing number of fraudsters impersonating swamis, astrologers, and spiritual healers to deceive unsuspecting people.
Police have frequently warned citizens not to trust strangers who come into homes and offer to do rituals, remove curses, or predict the future for money or valuables.
Those fraudsters tend to take advantage of fear, superstition, and emotional vulnerability for some kinds of money, jewellery, or other valuables to escape with them in the end.
Police Advisory to the Public
Residents are urged to remain vigilant, keep themselves on the alert, and to be safe to do so, and to take basic safety precautions:
- Do not allow anyone who is not affiliated with a church or godman into your house without verification of any preachers or godmen.
- Never hand over jewellery, money, or anything else to them for rituals or blessings.
- You can tell if someone is performing religious or spiritual services.
- You have to know if any suspicious person comes to your house.
- Encourage elderly family members to know about such frauds– they are often prey to fraud.
- So we continue the investigation.
The police are continuing their search for the accused and have appealed to the public to come forward with any information that could help the investigation.
Public awareness is one of the best tools to prevent such crimes, officials said, and should keep citizens on guard when approached by strangers who make extraordinary spiritual claims.
