Chennai: Police have launched a hunt for a godman, who cheated an elderly woman of her gold chain after promising to cure her mentally-ill grandson, in Gummidipoondi on Wednesday.
Based on the complaint of Mariammal, 56, who lives with her son Palani and mentally-ill grandson after the demise of her daughter-in-law two years ago, the Arambakkam police registered a case under IPC Section 420 (cheating) against the godman and a woman, who referred him to Mariammal.
The woman approached Mariammal two days ago. Seeing Mariammal’s mentally-ill grandson, she expressed pity and claimed to know a priest who had cured a child and promised to introduce him to Mariammal, The Times of India reported.
A man in his 30s arrived at her house on Wednesday to cure her grandson. He told Mariammal that an evil spirit was resident in the house and promised to drive it out by performing a puja with some gold jewellery. Mariammal gave him her three sovereign gold chain worth 60,000.
While performing puja, the man asked Mariammal to bring some fresh water from the well. When she returned with the water, she found he had fled with the gold.