Agra: Three persons - a shopkeeper, a salesman and a tourist guide - were arrested by Agra police for selling artefacts at an inflated cost to a Swiss tourist. The shopkeeper sold off a marble box, and a chess board with its pieces for a 10-time premium. The arrested were identified as shop owner Haider, salesman Amir and tourist guide Furkan Ali.
The victim realised that she was conned when she saw the same artefacts being sold at its actual price while she was returning to her hotel. Police said a female tourist from Switzerland, Isabel, alleged that she was cheated in a sales emporium located at the Taj Mahal East Gate. The guide was booked for his collusion.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Taj Security Syed Areef Ahmed said, “Isabel, a Switzerland national, is on a tour of India. Isabel contacted tourist guide. After visiting the Taj Mahal, Furkan took Isabel to the Marble Cottage and Textiles Emporium at the Eastern Gate for shopping. Emporium Salesman Amir calculated the price of the selected items as Rs 80,000. After bargaining, the items were sold for Rs. 37,500.
The payment of which was made with a visa card and she was informed the items will be delivered to her address, the ACP said. Based on her complaint, we have registered a case against the accused who have been arrested and have also seized the digital video recording of the CCTV footage of the shop, the police official said.
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Many tourists, who arrive in Agra to see the Taj Mahal, go back home feeling cheated when they have a similar experience. Touts, guides, and auto and taxi drivers, besides hotel owners and shopkeepers, pounce on every opportunity to make a quick buck, said a local trader. They have no hesitation in misleading and misinforming visitors so that they can extract some money, he added.
