Major fraud in Bhatkal: Hundreds duped in home appliance scam, accused flee with over Rs 1 crore
Karwar : A large-scale fraud has come to light in Bhatkal town of Uttara Kannada district, where hundreds of residents were cheated by fraudsters who promised to sell household appliances at half the market price. The two accused, identified as Uday Kumar and Rengaraju from Tamil Nadu, reportedly collected over ₹1 crore before fleeing overnight.
According to reports, the duo had rented a building in the Bhatkal market about a month ago and opened a store named Global Enterprises. They advertised that they would sell furniture, refrigerators, washing machines, mixers, cookers, tables, and other home appliances at steeply discounted prices — nearly 50% cheaper than regular market rates. Customers were told that products would be delivered within ten days after payment.
Initially, for the first three weeks, the shopkeepers fulfilled a few small orders, which built trust among the public. Soon, hundreds of customers began paying in advance or through EMI options, hoping to receive goods at lower rates. However, in the following weeks, the duo stopped delivering products and continued collecting payments. Once the amount reportedly crossed ₹1 crore, they vanished overnight, locking up their shop.
A local trader, suspecting foul play, lodged a complaint at the Bhatkal Town Police Station on October 14. Once news of the scam spread, angry customers stormed the locked shop, broke open the shutters, and looted whatever was left inside. Police rushed to the spot and had to struggle to bring the crowd under control.
Police have now launched a search operation and are coordinating with Tamil Nadu authorities to trace the absconding accused. Preliminary investigations suggest that the men may have fled to Tamil Nadu after shutting down their operation.
The incident has triggered widespread discussion on social media, with citizens warning others not to fall for “too-good-to-be-true” offers and to buy only from verified and trusted sources.
