In plain daylight, he is the sarpanch of his village in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. As the village head, he is responsible for resolving disputes and handing out punishment for notoriety. His name evokes fear and respect in the community. But mention the word "Olx" and he immediately clams up. "I don't know what t you are talking about. Don't waste my time," says the 62-year-old on the phone before he hangs up.
The otherwise respectable sarpanch is one among the many in his village who live an alternate persona on online platforms such as Olx, Indiamart, and Quikr. He is also known as the "Olx master" because of his many disguises as a prospective seller of sundry items. There were several arrests in his subdivision of scamsters luring buyers into thefts, where bank details were harvested in the guise of payment for listed items that do not exist. Most CNG fuel stops in Bharatpur have boards with warning signs against "Olx thefts". In the main town, crowded with electrical repair shops and pushcarts selling vegetables, locals respond with wry smiles to inquiries about Olx conmen. "That's practically everyone's side hustle here," says Pushpesh, a mobile shop owner, "First they were cheating people in the name of selling gold bricks and coins, now they have moved to selling home appliances, vehicles and whatnot online, often in the guise of Army personnel." Local cops talk about multiple instances of cyber thugs being accused in Olx frauds, sextortion, or setting up illegal call centres in slums and making off with lakhs in a month. But tip-offs and raids are like walking on eggshells; they constantly warn of violent reactions and counterattacks.
Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin July 03, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin July 03, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus
RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
