L.D. Engineering Student Duped Of ₹5,000 In Hostel Fee Scam Near Gulbai Tekra

A 22-year-old student of L.D. Engineering College was allegedly duped of ₹5,000 after two men posing as strangers in need of help persuaded him to withdraw cash from an ATM on the promise that the amount would be transferred online by one of their fathers.

The incident occurred near Gulbai Tekra in Navrangpura on September 24. After collecting the cash, the two men allegedly dropped the student near the college gate and disappeared. When the promised transfer never arrived and the phone of the man who had approached him was switched off, the student realised he had been cheated.

Gujarat University police have registered a case against the two unidentified men and launched an investigation. Police are also probing whether the duo may have targeted other students using a similar method.

Stranger Claims Sister Needs ₹5,000 For Hostel Fees

The complainant, 22-year-old Ranjit Kemibhai, is a fifth-semester Electrical Engineering student at L.D. Engineering College. Originally from Vandiyol village in Bhiloda taluka of Aravalli district, he currently stays in a PG accommodation near C.A. Circle in Navrangpura.

According to his complaint, Ranjit was walking from his PG towards college at around 11 am on September 24 when a man stepped out of a rickshaw parked near Shriram Dairy at Gulbai Tekra.

The man introduced himself as Shiv Barot and allegedly told Ranjit that his sister studied at L.D. College and urgently needed ₹5,000 to pay her hostel fees.

He allegedly offered Ranjit a seemingly simple arrangement: Ranjit would provide ₹5,000 in cash and the man's father would transfer the same amount online through a QR code.

Rickshaw Driver Allegedly Helps Build Trust

The rickshaw driver also allegedly joined the conversation and supported the man's version, helping convince Ranjit that the request was genuine.

Ranjit, however, did not have ₹5,000 in cash at the time.

According to the complaint, the two men then took him in their rickshaw to an ATM on H.L. Road. Ranjit withdrew ₹5,000 and handed the money to them.

'Money Will Arrive Shortly', Then Phones Go Off

After taking the cash, the men dropped Ranjit near the college gate.

They allegedly told him that the man's father was at Nehru Nagar and that the money would be transferred to his account shortly.

But the promised transfer never arrived.

When Ranjit tried contacting the man, his phone was allegedly switched off. It was then that the student realised that the entire story about the online transfer had allegedly been a ruse to get him to withdraw the cash.

Police Probe Similar Complaints

Ranjit subsequently approached Gujarat University Police Station and lodged a complaint.

Police have registered a case against the two men and launched an investigation to identify them and trace the rickshaw used in the alleged fraud.

Police are also examining whether the same group may have targeted another student using a similar method.