A woman who organised a pooja to ward off “evil that was preventing” her two daughters from getting married in Cheyyar in Vellore was conned by a astrologer, who walked away with 52 sovereigns of gold after the prayers.
The incident came to light 45 days after the pooja was conducted at the house of Maladevi in Ramalingam Nagar.
The astrologer Ramakrishnan from Bengaluru had put 52 sovereigns of gold and wrapped it in a red cloth. “He then told the woman, Maladevi, not to open the jug for 45 days,” the police said.
Maladevi was even asked by the astrologer to go around the house with a lemon after the “kanaka abhisheka pooja”, while he kept the gold aside for himself, the police said.
“When Maladevi opened the jug 45 days later, she found that the jug contained only stones,” police said.
Based on a complaint, the police began a probe and learnt that Ramakrishnan was in Vandavasi.
The police team picked him up from Vandavasi and during questioning the astrologer confessed to cheating the woman and stealing the ornaments kept for her daughter’s wedding. He also told police that he was a native of Tiruchy.
The man was later remanded to 15 days judicial custody by a court in Cheyyar.