'BMC sweeper' arrested for drugging, cleaning out victims

Tilak Nagar police yesterday arrested a 54-year-old woman for allegedly drugging her victims and then robbing them of their gold ornaments while they were visiting their relatives admitted at civic hospitals in the city.

Kusum Diwangi was arrested from the Rajawadi hospital premises in Ghatkopar (E) yesterday

The woman would pose as a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sweeper and approach the unsuspecting women waiting outside the hospital. Targeting mostly women, she would tell them that since she was a civic employee, she could help them get a doctor's appointment or even a vacant bed in the hospital. Clueless about her intentions, the victims listened to her with the hope of receiving some
assistance.

The accused, while conversing with her targets, would offer them a cup of tea from the nearby tea stalls. While the victims patiently listened to her, she would mix a substance in the beverage. After the victims started feeling tipsy, she would remove their gold ornaments and slip away from the spot. Police officials said they had received three complaints of a similar nature in the last 15 days. The complainants told cops that while waiting outside the hospital, a woman wearing a BMC employee batch around her neck would befriend them after offering to help them.

Keeping a watch
"After receiving the complaints, we began making rounds of the civic hospitals in the vicinity and kept a watch on women sweepers," said API Vijnath Upase, from Tilak Nagar police station. After closely monitoring civic hospital premises for a few days, the police got lucky on Sunday when they spotted a woman approaching relatives of the patients and talking to them outside Rajawadi hospital in Ghatkopar (E).

The officers suspected foul play and detained her. Cops then summoned the complainants who identified her. The accused has been identified as Chembur resident Kusum Diwangi. Police said that there were several cases registered against her across various police stations.

3
The number of complaints registered of a similar nature in the last 15 daysu00a0