Conman walks away with Pongal hamper, Rs 1,000

Simon Peter (62), a smart ration card holder, was shocked when he received a text message that he collected the Pongal gift hamper and Rs 1,000 rupees provided by the State government at Selaiyur fair price shop.

Police said Simon, who is a resident of Selaiyur, was staying in Coimbatore for the past three months. Simon got text messages that he purchased rice and other products from the fair price shop using his ration card for the past two months. However, he ignored them as it was only rice. On Wednesday morning Simon was shocked to see the text message received on his phone that he had ‘received’ the Pongal gift hamper.

Soon, Simon contacted his friends and asked them check with the ration shop staff at Selaiyur. When his friends enquired at the shop, they found that someone had got the hamper after signing in the registration book as Simon Peter. Following this, his friends and public quarrelled with the officials. The shop was closed for a while and a complaint was registered with the Tambaram Assistant Commissioner.

Later, the police reached the spot and pacified the public after which the shop was opened again. The Selaiyur police have registered a case and trying to nab the suspect.