New Town senior citizen loses 9L after phone theft
Times of India | 25 May 2025
123 Kolkata: An elderly New Town resident, Soumitra Mandal, alleged that Rs 9.1 lakh was siphoned off from his accounts with two nationalised banks a day after he lost his mobile phone at a village market in his ancestral hometown in Purulia's Joypur.Mandal flagged 32 unauthorized transactions from his accounts, leading to the loss. On Wednesday, Mandal lodged a complaint with Rajarhat Police against the fraudulent withdrawal of money.He had previously reported the loss of his phone and lodged a general diary at Joypur Police Station on May 15, a day after it was lost.He lives with his son at The SOUL housing complex in Rajarhat. He learnt about the fraud after he withdrew bank statements for his accounts. Both his accounts were registered at the Purulia branches of the banks. In his police complaint, Mandal claimed that he did not share his bank details with anyone. But he raised suspicion that that his phone containing a SIM card was stolen for gaining access to his bank accounts and siphon off funds.The Rajarhat Police has started a case under BNS sections of 316 (2) (criminal breach of trust) and 318 (4) (cheating). "We have started an investigation into the case and are checking the digital footprints," said a senior official of Bidhannagar Cty Police. Cybersecurity experts urged individuals to immediately block their SIM cards and banking access in case of a lost or stolen phone to prevent unauthorized access by fraudsters.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes, messages and quotes !