LUCKNOW: The ‘men in khaki’ or ‘Army personnel’ stopping you on lone stretches for a security check could be impostors trying to trick you into parting with your cash and valuables. They would quote past instances of crime in the area to intimidate you. Over 60 such cases of conning and 30 of loot were cracked by the Crime Branch team after busting the gang.The gang members used dress up in police uniform and target people on lone stretches. Hailing from Madhya Pradesh , these impostors used to stay in cheap hotels and during the day would conduct a recce of areas with thin police presence. Later in the evening, they would set out to hunt for their target. The gang members used to target three people and then return to their hometown in MP. Those arrested were identified as Sonu Sisodiya, Vinod Sisodiya, Hrithik Sisodiya, Karan Sisodiya and Babu Sisodiya, all relatives and one Mohit Singh. The gang members were natives of Rajgarh in MP. The police recovered mobile phones, wrist watches and Rs 16,000 along with fake dresses of police and Army personnel. Iron rods were also recovered from their possession.“On the basis of informer’s tipoff and surveillance, the gang was tracked and during interrogation the members confessed to around 60 cases of conning and 30 of loot,” said SSP Kalanidhi Naithani.The officials said that the miscreants donning ‘khaki’ used innovative tricks to deceive people. In one of the complaints against the gang, a woman was conned of her jewellery when the miscreants duped her saying, “No woman wearing gold ornaments would be allowed to pass this stretch from Monday as per a new regulation of the government. You will have to put all (ornaments) in the envelope.” They took her belongings, put them in an envelope and handed it over to her.In another incident, a retired commissioner was told by the miscreants that incidents of loot have been reported on this stretch.The gang advised him to put away his wallet, rings and chain, giving him a paper to hide it all. They also said that they will wrap it all up and then handed it over to him. Later, when he opened the paper, he found it empty.

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