Retired man duped of gold worth ₹1.6 lakh by ‘naga bawa’ in Ahmedabad

In a case of deception and theft, a retired resident of Anandnagar in Ahmedabad was tricked and robbed of gold jewellery worth ₹1.6 lakh by three persons, including one posing as a naga bawa. The incident occurred on January 16 around 11.40 am near Ramdevnagar public road.  

The complainant, Avinashbhai Vinayakbhai, a retired professional residing in Saranam Bungalows, recounted the sequence of events to the Anandnagar police. He stated that while walking near Bhavesh Tailors, close to Super Society, a white car stopped beside him. One of the occupants, dressed as a monk (referred to as naga bawa), called him over under the pretext of asking for directions to a nearby ashram.  

The so-called bawa initiated a conversation, offering blessings and placing a ₹500 note in the complainant’s hand. Despite Avinashbhai’s refusal to accept the money, the monk insisted and continued to engage him in conversation. While Avinashbhai’s attention was diverted, the monk stealthily removed an 8-gram gold ring from his hand. Additionally, as Avinashbhai bent to receive blessings, the monk snatched a 15-gram gold chain with a Ganapati pendant from his neck.  

The complainant realised the theft only after the car, which also had a driver and another man in plain clothes seated in the back, drove off. The stolen items include a gold ring valued at ₹50,000 and a chain worth ₹1,10,000, bringing the total loss to ₹1.6 lakh.  

Avinashbhai informed his family about the incident, and with their support, he approached the Anandnagar police the next day to file a formal complaint.  

Case filed 

The Anandnagar police have registered a case under relevant sections for theft and deception. Authorities are on the lookout for the white car and its occupants based on the description provided by the complainant.  

Local residents said as there is no CCTV cameras installed in this particular area, it has become a targeted spot for criminals. While most of the city is covered under surveillance why this spot has been neglected.