Woman, 70, duped of gold jewellery in Antop Hill by youth claiming to cure illness with chants

A 70-year-old woman was cheated of her gold jewellery in Mumbai's Antop Hill area on the pretext of a chanting ritual to cure her illness. Police have begun an investigation.

Kulsumbi Kazi was returning home with milk when an unknown young woman followed her and then entered her house. The woman said she had come to deliver her sister's wedding card, and won Kulsumbi's trust in this way.

During the conversation, the young woman told Kulsumbi that she was unwell. She also claimed that she could cure the illness by chanting mantras.

Under the pretext of the chanting, she had the woman take off her gold mangalsutra and the ornaments from both ears. She then brought rice from the house, placed it on the jewellery and pretended to mutter some mantras. After tying all the jewellery in a dupatta, she advised Kulsumbi not to open it for a few hours.

The young woman said, "In two to three hours you will feel a difference in your illness. Do not open the dupatta until then, I will come again." She then left the house.

Several hours passed but she did not return. Suspicious, Kulsumbi opened the dupatta and found the jewellery missing. A search of the area did not turn up the young woman. On realising she had been cheated, Kulsumbi immediately filed a police complaint.

Antop Hill police have begun an investigation. They are searching for the suspect using CCTV footage from the area.

A 65-year-old woman was cheated in the same manner in the Mankhurd area last month. Police are therefore also examining whether a gang committing such crimes is behind the Antop Hill incident.