From Bhupen Goswami
GUWAHATI : Earlier, people from different parts of the country or other North Eastern States used to cheat these fake gold traders but now buyers from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab have also gone to the North Eastern States and become victims of fraud. Such a major incident has come to light in Assam. This is the latest incident of fake gold trading which has become synonymous with Bongalmara area of Lakhimpur in Assam. It appears that someone starts restarting again and again after regular intervals with the end. According to Assam Police, between Covid-19 in Lakhimpur district of Assam, an elderly couple travelled from 24 Parganas district of West Bengal to buy a gold artwork in Bongalmara area of Lakhimpur, which was duped by the vendor and caught by the police. The incident took place when some villagers spotted the couple walking suspiciously in Bongalmara amidst the lockdown and reported it to the police.
After being detained by the police, the couple has been identified as Gopal Chakraborty (71) and Neelima Chakraborty (61). He was invited by a vendor from Bongalmara to collect gold artifacts for Rs 2.5 lakh over the phone. However, the artwork, a statue of Jesus Christ on the cross, a general and distinctive representation of the notorious Bongalmara fake gold trade, was handed to him by a Naseema Begum. According to police, Naseema was deputed by Hasan’s son Humayun. Ali police in Sonepur have also detained Naseema Begum. This is the latest phenomenon of fake gold trade, which has become synonymous with The Bongalmara region of Lakhimpur, which happens again and again after regular intervals, with no end.
Earlier, people from different parts of the state or other North Eastern States were duped by these fake gold traders, but since 2019, buyers from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab were also lured and cheated by Bongalmara.Despite the arrest of traders of this illegal activity and recovery of fake gold artifacts with duped customers, the police have failed to eliminate the crime. This is happening at a time when The Assam Police is being empowered by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to root out all criminal activities. People here believe why the police have failed to eliminate the crime of fake gold and fake currency notes within a radius of less than 30 square kilometres.
