SALEM: The Attur rural police in Salem district arrested a man on charges of deceiving some women into tonsuring their heads to prevent what he called the “Omega infection.” He had convinced them that those who tonsured their heads would receive “cash rewards” from the state govt. The arrested man has been identified as M Satish Kumar 39, of Mettukuppam in Ariyalur district. Police said Satish Kumar told them he had been influenced by social media videos of women tonsuring their heads. He orchestrated the scam to witness the act in real life. Satish Kumar is married and has two daughters. The Attur rural police said Palaniammal, 30, of Pudukothambadi village received a phone call two days ago from a man who claimed to be the tahsildar of Attur taluk. The caller, who had detailed knowledge of her family, warned of a new infection spreading through hair, similar to Covid-19. He convinced her that tonsuring the head would prevent the infection and claimed that the Tamil Nadu govt was offering cash rewards of Rs 15,000 to women, Rs 45,000 to students and Rs 6,000 to men. To support the claim, he circulated via WhatsApp photographs of people of all ages with tonsured heads receiving money. Believing the claim, Ramayee, 58, Chitra, 63, and Kaveri, 64, tonsured their heads. When they attempted to contact the caller for the promised payment, his phone was switched off. Other villagers who had prepared to tonsure their heads decided not to do so. Ramayee lodged a complaint at the Attur rural police station on Tuesday evening. Sub-inspector Shakuntala and her team investigated the matter, which led to Satish Kumar’s arrest. Police registered a case against him under sections of the Violence Against Women Act. He was produced before an Attur court and lodged in the Salem Central Prison under judicial custody.
