A labourer from Audoora Qalamabad village in Mawer Handwara has claimed to have lost over rupees one lac thirty three thousand after a person, he said posed as a army man, lured him to deposit the amount in lieu to offer him a tractor.
The ‘victim’ Ghulam Mohammad War son of Mohammad Akber War told GNS that he received a WhatsApp call from a person on January 29, 2022 telling him that he had won a Mahindra tractor through a lucky draw.
“I initially ignored the calls, but the person telling of himself to be an army man, called me again and insisted that I give him my address immediately for the delivery of tractor which he said as currently in an Army camp at Pattan Baramulla”, War says adding the person asked me to deposit rupees fifty thousand as some sort of security.”
“For I being naïve, the call seemed genuine even as rupees fifty thousand didn’t seem a big deal in lieu of a chassis tractor, I deposited the money and sent the receipt to the person on WhatsApp”, he says.
“It happened that I received another call and this time the person convinced me to deposit eighty-three thousand rupees and asked me not to share these details to anyone”, adding the caller didn’t leave any reason for me to doubt the authenticity of the lucky draw.”
“On reaching to receive the tractor at army camp Pattan, I was taken aback that in the meantime I received another call from the person asking me to deposit more money as GST and all that”, War said adding “I asked him that I had deposited the required amount, but he didn’t respond.”
“I have sold all my livestock to arrange the money which he initially asked for and now I am left without a penny”, War breaks down.
“After discussing the matter with some people, I was suggested to file a complaint into the matter to which I took heed and have formally approached police station Qalamabad”, War further said.
When contacted, a police official told GNS that they have received a complaint pertaining to the matter. “We will look into the facts and accordingly investigate the matter”, the official said. (GNS)