Farmers duped of Rs 6.5 lakh by four posing as customers

VIJAYAPUR: Two farmers were duped of Rs 6.5 lakh by four people who posed as customers to purchase pomegranates in Jambagi village of Vijayapura district.

One of the four accused has been identified as Rafiq Sheikh and all have fled. The victims, Subhas Hitnalli and Gurappa Hitnalli, brothers and residents of Jambagi, had grown pomegranates on their 3-acre land.

The gang of four, including Rafiq and three others from Davanagere, purchased the pomegranates for Rs 12 lakh but paid only Rs 6.5 lakh and took the produce without paying the rest.

Subhas Hitnalli has filed a complaint against the four accused at the Vijayapura Rural Police Station. The police are investigating the matter.

Rafiq and the gang had come to Nagathana village near Jambagi village two days ago and stayed there. Then they inquired about the farmers there who grew pomegranates.

Then they found the pomegranate crop of Subhas and Gurappa brothers and went to their land. They fixed a total of Rs 12 lakh for the pomegranates of 3 acres of land.

Then they paid Rs 5.5 lakh and took away a load of good pomegranates. The next day they came and paid the remaining money and said that they would take away the remaining 2 vehicle loads of pomegranates. When the brothers called and asked for the remaining money, the accused started behaving like strangers.

Farmer Subhas and others filed a case at Azadnagar police station in Davangere. Then when the police questioned them, they said they would not give any money, and they did not buy any pomegranates. In this regard, farmer Subhas has filed a complaint against Rafiq and four others at the Vijayapura rural police station.