123 Kolkata: For the past 25 days, a gang of at least six persons, including women, targeted three young women, all dancers, in a unique modus operandi that left cops surprised.
"We began receiving complaints from south Kolkata, Jessore Road, and EM Bypass about an organised gang that was calling up dancers and offering them lucrative roles in a dance group. They were offered a large remuneration to perform in gigs that would be organised as part of the New Year celebrations. Once the women responded, they were asked to come for an audition and contract-signing at a hotel. They were specifically asked to wear jewellery for a Look Test. These women were offered refreshments and drinks before the interview. These drinks were laced with sleeping pills and sedatives. Once they lost consciousness, the accused looted their jewellery and valuables like iPhones," said an investigating officer.
Cops even got worried if personal info and photographs were compromised, too. The gang's luck ran out on Tuesday after the Ballygunge Police raided a hotel near airport and nabbed three members just before they could strike a potential victim. So far, the gang has looted three women, even as cops predict the number of victims to be more.
According to Ballygunge PS, a case was registered on the basis of a complaint by a 26-year-old dancer from Nakashipara. "The female gang member introduced herself as an event organiser who organised dance shows and invited the complainant to come to a room at a hotel located on Sarat Bose Road on Dec 2 for some urgent talks in connection with a dance programme. Accordingly, the complainant reached there in the evening. After half an hour, a man arrived and joined the two to negotiate the ‘final agreement'. They offered food and alcohol to the victim, and after consuming of both, the complainant fell asleep," said an officer.
The victim finally woke up the next morning and found that both accused had fled after committing theft. They looted five gold rings, three gold neck chains and two mobiles, one of which was an iPhone.
Among the arrested is a 36-year-old woman, Esha Das, from Bhadreswar. The two men were identified as Sunil Tiwary (40) of Madhyamgram and Rahul Laskar (30) of Sonarpur.
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