Hyderabad: The Abids police arrested a man who used to allegedly drug aspiring Gulf migrants who were undergoing medical tests at authorised medical centres and stole their valuables. Police said the accused, Md. Akram, 47, hailing from Nagpur, used to offer the victims chocolates laced with lorazepam (a drug used to treat treat anxiety disorders, troubled sleeping, seizures). When the victims were drowsy, he would make away with their valuables.
According to the police, there are seven authorised centres in the city to conduct medical tests on Gulf aspirants where Akram prowled.
Abids inspector K. Ravi said, “Akram used to mainly target the people who were coming for medical test to go to the Gulf. He used to befriend them and offer them chocolates laced with lorazepam. When the victims went to sleep, he used to commit the theft.”
In one case, Akram approached a victim named Ulvaji Suresh, 25, hailing from Nirmal district who came to the city for medical tests at Gulshan Medicare, Abids. Akram struck up a conversation with him and suggested he drink coconut water for medical fitness. He later offered him a chocolate, telling him that it would “clear his blood”.
When the victim fell asleep, Akram stole Rs 15,000 cash and gold chain that Suresh had and escaped.
During the course of the investigation, the Abids police checked CCTV footage, identified Akram and tracked him down. He confessed to having robbed Suresh and three similar crimes under the Naraya-nguda, Saifabad and Mirchowk police limits.
Inspector Ravi said Akram got the tablets from Nagpur. Asked how Akram got access to the drug without prescription, Mr Ravi said, “We are still investigating the case. After a thorough probe we will get to know all the information.”
The accused used to target Gulshan Medicare, Abids; SL Medical, Khairatabad; Mesco Diag-nostic Centre, Asifnagar and Salus Health Care, Narayanguda, which are approved by the GAMCA — the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Approved Medical Centres Association.
Mr Mandha Bheem Reddy, Gulf migrants rights activist, said, “All Indian nationals taking up employment to GCC-member countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen are required to undergo a medical examination and get a fitness certificate.”
