Bhubaneswar: A woman has been arrested from Sailashree Vihar area of Odisha capital for allegedly posing as an officer of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and extorting money from the street vendors.
An aide of the woman, described by locals as a ‘lady don’, has also been arrested by the Commissionerate Police. The woman has been identified as Anu Mishra and her aide Omkar Yadav.
Police said Anu and her aide had encroached upon a government land and were giving it on rent to different people.
Introducing herself as a BMC officer, Anu was collecting money from roadside vendors in Sailashree Vihar area. They had rented out a shop to a man and later the outlet was ransacked when he was unable to pay rents in time, sources said.
Some people reportedly tried to ascertain her real identity and when it was found that she was making false claims, the woman was trying to flee the area. However, some youths in the area stopped her and informed the police.
A team from Chandrsekharpur police station rushed to the spot and arrested Anu and Omkar for extorting money. The police have also seized a car and some weapons.
