Three famers’ elaborate plan to con people in their village in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district by ‘unearthing’ idols from their field failed after police learnt that the idols were purchased from an online shopping website and took them into custody on Thursday.
Police identified the three as Ashok Rairaj (55), and his sons Ravi Rairaj (26) and Vijay Rairaj (27) and said they hailed from Mehmoodpur village, which falls under the jurisdiction of Asiwan police station.
“A couple of days ago, the father and sons started telling villagers that they saw a devi in their dream, who told them that there are idols buried in their field. They dug up their field from where idols were found. They wanted to establish a temple there. Their objective was to make money because people would donate money seeing the idols,” Bangarmau Circle Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh said on Thursday.
After a huge crowd gathered, police teams also reached the spot. “It was found that these idols were ordered online for Rs 169 and were hidden by the father and the two sons,” Singh added.
The idols were ordered from Amazon, police said. “The villagers were then told the truth, and those who were misleading people are facing action,” Singh said.
Police said that Ashok and his sons have been taken into custody under CrPC Section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognisable offences) and police are looking into the matter. “The three are small-time farmers,” said a police officer.