Jalandhar, October 26: An act of kindness turned into a distressing experience for a 70-year-old woman in Jalandhar's Dilbagh Nagar area after two unidentified men allegedly tricked her into parting with gold bangles weighing approximately 4.5 tolas. The incident occurred near Radha Krishna Temple, where the woman was approached by an elderly stranger asking for money to buy food. The suspects reportedly escaped on a motorcycle after taking her jewellery.
The victim, identified as Anjana Sharma, a resident of Dilbagh Nagar, had reportedly visited the temple and was heading towards a nearby gaushala to feed cows. According to her account, an elderly man stopped her approximately 100 metres from the temple and requested financial assistance for food. When she stopped to help him, another individual approached and joined their conversation.
The woman alleged that the two men engaged her in conversation for several minutes and gradually confused her. During the interaction, one of the suspects reportedly handed her a handkerchief. She claimed that after smelling it, she became disoriented and could not clearly remember how her gold bangles were removed from her wrists.
Sharma told the police that she remained conscious but was unable to understand what was happening at the time. By the time she realised that her jewellery was missing, the suspects had allegedly fled the area on a motorcycle. The stolen bangles reportedly weighed around four and a half tolas, representing a substantial financial loss for the elderly woman.
People in the surrounding area informed the police following the incident. Additional Station House Officer Gurdeep Chand reached the location with a police team and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged theft.
According to the investigating officer, the woman reported that two men had approached her before the jewellery disappeared. Police are examining her account, including the allegation that she was made to smell something that left her confused. However, the exact nature of any substance involved has not been independently established.
Police officials said further action was being taken based on the victim's statement and that efforts were underway to identify and apprehend the suspects. The incident has raised concerns about criminals allegedly exploiting people's willingness to help strangers, particularly elderly residents.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police have yet to establish the full sequence of events. Authorities are expected to examine the available evidence to determine how the suspects approached the victim and escaped with her jewellery.
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