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Mangaluru, Oct 22: A Mangaluru resident has fallen victim to a ₹20 lakh scam after being lured into a fraudulent investment scheme by individuals posing as representatives of J.P. Morgan India. The case, filed at Kadri police station, highlights the growing threat of investment fraud in the region.

The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, was contacted on September 24 by a man named Vishwanathan, who falsely introduced himself as the Chief Investment Strategist for J.P. Morgan India. Shortly after, a woman named Neeta Sharma reached out, using multiple phone numbers to convince the victim of her association with the prestigious financial firm. She shared a company link and urged the victim to invest ₹20 lakh, promising high returns.

On October 14, after being convinced by Neeta's claims, the victim transferred ₹20 lakh to the fraudulent account. Following this, Neeta instructed the victim to purchase 1,000 shares at ₹240 per share, which he did. The next day, she advised buying 7,900 more shares at ₹250.95 each, further strengthening her false credibility.

However, trouble arose when Neeta told the victim to withdraw the invested amount. Instead of receiving the full sum, the victim was sent only ₹1,500, transferred from an unknown account. When questioned, Neeta could not provide a clear explanation for the discrepancies.

Sensing the deceit, the victim demanded a full refund of his investment. Neeta, however, brazenly asked for an additional ₹4 lakh, prompting the victim to realize the extent of the fraud. He then filed a formal complaint with the Kadri police.

This incident serves as a critical reminder for the public to remain vigilant against fraudulent schemes, particularly those involving investment promises from unverified sources. Always ensure that you verify the legitimacy of financial institutions and representatives before transferring funds. 

The Kadri police are investigating the case and have urged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious investment schemes.

Tips to Protect Yourself from Investment Scams:

1.    Verify Credentials: Always cross-check the credentials of anyone claiming to represent a reputable financial institution. Use official contact information from the company's website to verify.

2.    Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Offers: Be cautious of unexpected investment offers, especially those that promise unusually high returns.

3.    Conduct Thorough Research: Before investing, investigate the company and the proposed investment thoroughly. Look for reviews, ratings, and any red flags.

4.    Report Suspicious Activity: If you suspect a scam, report it immediately to local authorities or financial regulatory bodies to prevent further fraud.

Mangaluru: Forest officials successfully captured a leopard that strayed into the kitchen of a house in Akkasaligara Keri, Mulki, on the outskirts of Mangaluru, during the early hours of Sunday, October 20.

Following multiple complaints from residents about leopard sightings, forest department officials had placed cages at various locations in Mulki. According to Deputy RFO Manjunath Ganiga, locals had reported spotting a leopard in the area, prompting the department to set up a cage about a kilometer from the affected house.

At approximately 10 p.m., the leopard entered the house and made its way into the kitchen. The family quickly locked the kitchen door and contacted the forest department for assistance. The forest officials, using a cage and a net, managed to trap the leopard around 2:45 a.m. The animal was later examined by veterinarians and released back into the wild.

Locals suspect that up to three leopards may be roaming the area.

The operation to capture the leopard was led by RFO Kiran Kumar, with assistance from Deputy RFOs Nagesh Billava and Manjunath Ganiga, along with forest department staff members Chandrashekar and Shankar.

The Israeli regime’s forces have carried out intense bombing raids against six buildings in the city of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, killing at least 45 people.

Dozens more were also wounded after the raids targeted the structures, including a house belonging to a Palestinian family named as Abu Shidiq, on Saturday.

The attacks came as the severity of the regime’s aggression has forced the Palestinian Civil Defense to cease its activities in the northern side of the coastal sliver, leaving civilians there to their own devices.

Commenting on the situation, Director-General of the Gaza Health Ministry, Medhat Abbas said more than 900 Palestinians had been killed over the past weeks during the Israeli campaign that has targeted the northern areas.

Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last functioning hospital in the north, has been a special focus of the campaign that has either killed all of the facility’s doctors or forced them to flee, with the exception of three physicians, who remain there, he added.

“The occupation is committing genocide by destroying the health system in Gaza,” Abbas noted.

The regime embarked on implementing a so-called “Generals’ Plan” in northern Gaza earlier in the month, deploying hundreds of military vehicles and thousands of forces with immense firepower towards its realization.

The plan seeks to tighten the regime’s siege against the areas, cut off humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians inside, and label those who remain there as combatants so it could target and kill them after declaring the areas "closed military zones.”

The plan is part of a genocidal war that the regime launched against the Gaza Strip last October, during which it has killed more than 42,924 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded another 100,833.

Also on Saturday, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a civil rights group, called on the United States, the regime’s biggest supporter, to stop the “systematic extermination of an entire population” in Gaza.