Gang duped villagers after promising financial aid in Jalandhar

The fraudsters duped villagers of Rs 2 Lakh. (Representational Image)

A group of fraudsters are active in the rural areas of the Balachaur sub-division of Nawanshahr district, say residents. They ask people to fill a form purportedly under ‘Beti Bachao beti padhao’ programme of the government and get an ‘aid’ of Rs 2 lakh. Satwinder Singh, a resident of Katwara village in Balachaur, said some people had come to their village and claimed that they were hired by the government to get forms pertaining to the Centre’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti padhao’ programme so that poor people can get Rs 2 lakh aid for the education of their daughters.

“Even several people of Jeetpura, Sighpur and Pojewal villages came to us and asked us about the programme,” said a senior officer at Punjab National Bank Branch in Balachaur, adding that we made them clear that there was no such policy. Malewal village residents also had a similar story to tell. The suspects demanded a fee after getting the forms filled, added Hardeep Singh of Malewal  village. Deputy commissioner, Nawanshahr, Sonali Giri, said she was aware of the incidents. “People should beware of such fraudulent persons involved in such activities and must inform either to SDM or child development and protection officer with immediate effect,” she said.