Lootera Dulha Alert: Man Scams 20 Divorced, Widowed Women Through Matrimony App

Looteri Dulhan had already shocked us. Now lootera dulha is also coming forward, and this time to target women who are assumed to be desperately in need of a groom. A 43-year-old man has been arrested for marrying and looting more than 20 women whom he met on matrimonial websites. The man is identified as Firoz Niaz Sheikh. The case is from Maharashtra’s Palghar district where one of the looted brides filed a complaint. Sheikh mostly targeted widows or divorcees only to run away with their valuable belongings post-marriage.

As per the reports, the woman who filed the complaint had lost 6.5 lakh in cash and other valuables between October and November 2023. 

Sheikh's history and modus operandi of duping women

After the complaint, a thorough investigation was launched and Sheikh was apprehended in Kalyan of Thane district on July 23. Valuable belongings like laptops, mobile phones, debit and credit cards, chequebooks, and jewellery were recovered from Sheikh. 

Sheikh has been duping women since 2015. He targeted women not only in Maharashtra but also in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat. 

Senior Police Inspector Vijay Singh Bhagal told the media that Sheikh's modus operandi was befriending women- mainly widows and divorcees- on matrimonial websites and marrying them. After gaining their trust, he would exploit it and run away with valuables. 

Sheikh is now in Police custody and has been facing relevant charges of fraud and deceit. Law authorities are urging others too have been targeted by Sheikh to come forward and report against him 

Incident of looteri Dulhan

In July 2023, a group of men took to the roads to protest against a runaway bride from Rajouri district's Pir Panjal valley. The men claimed that the woman married multiple men and then looted them. 

As per the reports, over 27 men were duped by the woman. The case came to light when a local man filed a complaint against a woman who was married to him for months. He alleged that the woman ran away with her valuables. 

After this complaint, several more started to come forward as men related to each other's experiences. 

An FIR was filed and the woman was arrested. But she was released on anticipatory bail.