One of our readers working as a teacher in Kathmandu sent to us a story about a group of fraudsters, who are going from school to school in Kathmandu, extorting money from Darjeeling based teachers. They call themselves to be Darjeeling residents and pretend to be facing some trouble, and then request for monetary help. The story as narrated by our reader goes as follows:
This is to aware people about an exasperating incident of extortion of money by Swindlers!! (Calling themselves from Darjeeling)
A couple accompanied by an old woman is going around schools in Kathmandu, identifying themselves to be from Darjeeling, narrating their helplessness and extorting money from Darjeeling teachers.
Their story is :
The old lady had a son like a figure from Khotang. They had good relationship bond. He suggested the old lady that flying to European countries like Denmark is easy from Nepal than from India. Thus, as he suggested, the old lady came to Kathmandu with her daughter-in-law, to be sent for a job in Denmark carrying 4lakhs INR. The man who came along was her Dharam Putra(according to her). The man from Khotang received them in Kathmandu and made them stay in a hotel in Swayambhu. He took the cash telling he has to deposit it for processing. He did not return. Not seeing him return, they went to Police but police could not verify without his any identity proof. They were helpless. They had 15000 INR which made them pay the hotel bills and food for a week. The Dharam Putra wanted to run errands and earn but a huge problem of stay struck them. The old lady remembered her distant relative daughter Yangzi to be working in a Hospital (which is near my school) and came to get some aid. She could not trace her there and happened to land near the school gate am working now. They wanted Rs 5000 to get back home.
(The old lady identified herself having a stall in front of Das Studio before and now shifted to Mall Road).
What actually happened:
Friday, 28th September 2018(9.30 am approx)
They inquired in our school gate if any teachers from Darjeeling worked here. Guard with honesty gave my friend and my name. They got in (most probably allured the guard too), and was allowed to sit in Hostel Office (office near to the main gate). I was occupied with back to back classes that day till lunch. I had no information what was going around. My colleague ( the other from Darjeeling) was free in the first half and was notified, that people from Darjeeling have come to meet. Staying away from home, definitely, we get excited to know who and why from our Hometown? She met them and the above story was narrated to her. She was emotionally carried away with their helplessness and gave Rs 2000 from her side and they wanted to meet me too. But as I was stuck with my classes, I couldn’t come, rather I had no idea what was happening there. I was free by lunch, till then they had already left.
Somewhere, I remembered, a similar post being shared on Facebook. I fiddled to find out the pic. When I showed the picture to my colleague, she confirmed, it was them!!
My reason to share is- They are still here in Kathmandu, doing such a distressing act. If anyone here in Facebook knows them, or know about their whereabouts, be it, neighbour, friend or relative, please ask them to stop such act. They have no right to malign the good image of Darjeeling.
Amazingly, an ex-teacher at a school in Kathmandu also says to have come across these fraudsters around 7 years ago, using the same trick to dupe people of their money.
Yes you said true. Hami lai pani yaha bata thagera Rs8000 lagera gayo. Hamro yaha aru pani Darjeeling ko teacher haru bascha. Tini haru ko bata pani Rs4000 lageyxa. Hami le ta paxi po thaha payu.Hamiley ta seva garyu vanera socheko thiyu but paxi hamrai school ma teaching garney darjeeling ko teacher haru lai pani same testai hami lai vaneyko jasto kahani sunayera paisa lagexa ani matra hami lai thaha vayo iini haru le hami lai thageyko raixa vanera.Hamro ma pani tei 3 jana aako thiyo.Tini haru le k kahani sunayo vaney:ek jana manxe thiyo harey khotangko Darjeeling ma basera download business garthyo harey paxi tyo manxe le bidesh pathai dinxu ra ailey Nepal basera kaam gardai garnu vanera tyo photo ma vako keta lai nepal bolayo re. Ra tyo kta, tuo kti ra budi aaimai pani Darjeeling bata nepal aayo harey khotang ko manxe sanga. Khotang ko manxe ley tini haru lai pokhara ma lyayera euta hotel ma rakhera kata vagyo vagyo re. Ani pokhara ma basera hotel ma tyo manxe lai perkhandai basda paisa pani sabai sakera bijog vayo re. Paxi Besishahar ma tyo budi aaimai ko baini bihe vako thiyo re ani baini ko ma help mangnu awda baini pani ktm sarisakexa re ra bijog vayera paisa euta nabayera darjeeling ko manxe haru koi xa yata vanda aru bahira bazzarko haruley yaha hamro ma dekhayo harey ra hamro ma aaipugey xa. Hami ta aafno thauko manxe bichara k problem parexa vanera kasto help garnu khojyu.Hamro hostelma aayera pura dukha pokhayo.Hami le pani Rs8000 diyu.Paxi Darjeeling gayera ferkaidi halxau vanyo. Hamro phone number pani magera lagyo, Darjeeling gayera phone garxu vanera but khoi ailey samma phone aako xaina.Tini haru kp chai phone nai xaina tyo khotang ko manxe le lagyo vanyo. Tini haru ko address matra dirakhyo euta page ma lekhera. Hami lai pani tyo budi aaimai ko dokan xa Chowrasta ma bhoteybusty janey oralo ma vanyo. Kta ko tyo kti chai budi ho vanyo. Mailey jaba yo kahani Darjeelingko aru teacher haru lai school ma vetera sunaye voli palta tab matra thaha vayo hami lai thagexa vanera kina ki dj ko euta teacher ko bata pani tesari nai Rs4000 lagexa. Iini haru lai kasley khicheko yo photo?? Jati sakdo iini haru lai pakdinu parxa ra karbai garnu parxa natra dherai lai bigarxa.
Lol, this story reminded me of the incident I faced in Bangalore. There were few groups of family toiling around the highway near the airport and said to us that their money was stolen. They told us they were from Kerala and came to Bangalore to roam. Since their money was stolen they don’t have even single money to eat. At first, the story sound convincing but I thought they may be a fraudster. Later we met the same family dining in the restaurant with so many foods items.