2 persons pretending as police officers booked for looting motorists in Ambernath, Bhiwandi

Two persons, who pretended to be traffic police officials, were booked for looting commuters on roads in Ambernath and Bhiwandi by demanding money under various traffic violations

In two separate incidents, two persons who pretended to be traffic police officials, looted commuters on roads in Ambernath and Bhiwandi by demanding money under various traffic violations. The two accused have been booked under Bhiwandi and Ambernath police stations.

Two persons pretending as police officers have been booked for looting motorists in Ambernath, Bhiwandi. (HT FILE PHOTO)

In the Bhiwandi incident, the complainant, Dilip Bhoir, 60, was riding a bike on Tadali Pipeline Road at around 10.30am when the two persons stopped him. The accused pretended to be police officers and even wore a police uniform. They asked to see his licence. They then asked him to pay ₹2,000 for not wearing a helmet. The accused then gave him a receipt and asked the complainant to show it to their senior who was standing ahead.

They even asked the victim to remove his gold chain claiming that the senior official would ask for more money if he saw him wearing gold.

An officer from Bhiwandi city police station said, “They asked him to wrap it in a handkerchief, the complainant had already panicked after having to pay ₹2,000 and gave them the gold chain. They took the money and gold and fled. We are on the lookout for the accused. Our officials in civil dress are patrolling the area.”

In another case in Ambernath, a 55-year-old woman was travelling in an auto rickshaw and was stopped by two bikers pretending to be police officers and demanding to check the rickshaw. After checking, they advised the woman to keep her gold bangles worth ₹1 lakh in the bag and offered a handkerchief as they spotted some thieves nearby.

An officer from Ambernath police station said, “The accused fled with the handkerchief containing gold bangles. We are searching for the accused with the sketch given by the complainant.”