Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 12: A fraudster, who used to act like falling in love with women and young ladies, dated them, and took away their gold ornaments, was arrested by Shirva police on Monday August 11.

The arrested accused has been identified as Stephen Arun Almeda (33), a resident of Bantakal-Herur near Shirva. A Karimani chain weighing about 12 grams was confiscated from his possession.

It is said that Stephen Arun Almeida used to identify gullible women and then tried to earn their attention. Wherever women showed interest in his advances, they were taken on dates. He usually spent money for such trips, but at the end, used to convince the women to part with their ornaments or cash by making them believe in stories concocted by him for achieving this purpose.

It is gathered that the accused was nabbed when Shirva station house officer, Ashok, was patrolling the area near Belman Jantra-Pelattakatte on Monday morning. Intensive interrogation of the person brought into the open the devious means adopted by him to relieve unsuspecting women of their valuables.

In a swift action, the police recovered the above Karimani chain that had been sold by the accused to a jewellery shop in Mangalore. It is said that this chain belongs to a woman from Pandeshwar Mangalore. The Shirva police have gathered information about the case from Pandeshwar station.

Almeida, who had been lying low since the last three to four years, had been mentioned in police records as a notorious person. Four cases, two in Udupi, one in Manipal, and another in Pandeshwar Mangalore station, were registered against him. Police sources said that their earlier attempts at arresting him had failed as the accused used to sense police moves in advance and gave them a slip every time.

The above operation, which was guided by assistant superintendent of police, Annamalai, and led by Kaup police circle inspector, Sunil Nayak, was executed by Shirva station house officer, Ashok P and other personnel.