Who said that we Odias aren't smart ! This is the story of an Odia con artist who fooled many and successfully flirted with multiple women on Facebook, until one day he lied exposed.
Once upon a time, I was part of a group of Odias on Facebook. A common friend, a good samatarian, an active member and Admin of that group who liked my blogs and other posts on Facebook added me to that group, because I was expected to add variety by contributing my blogs. So I did religiously. But soon I suspected that hardly anyone followed my blogs in that forum.
Majority of the members were ladies whose taste hovered around exotic Odia food, Bollywood and occasional Odia songs, pickles, mundane talks about their day to day activities, gossips, especially character assassination of their villainous mother-in-laws and sister-in-laws. I could sense that hardly anyone bothered to read my blogs, barring a few humorous ones which earned me some frugal "Likes". Being the odd man out in a group where majority were girls, I thought of quitting. But kept on procrastinating my decision as I found their gossips spicy enough for me to stay glued to the group.
There was this guy, a member and a very active participant, non-controversial, liked by one and all. But eventually he turned out to be a BAHURUPI (multiple personality), a master of the game he was playing. Unknown to all he created an account in the name of "Chiranjeebi Dash", a good looking stud with a handsome picture and added him to this group. His profile page said he was a pilot in Indian Air Force, flying fighter jets across the globe.
One day he perfectly placed himself in a position of abject sympathy, as the fictitious Airman announced the loss of his fictitious girlfriend to cancer. To give credence to his character, he had already created a Facebook profile of a pretty girl (obviously stolen). To add more myth surrounding our pilot Chiranjeebi a fictitious sister of him was added to the group. His fictitious sister boasted about her loving Air Force brother Chiranjeebi. If I remember correctly her name was "Anwesha Dash", a very appropriate name chosen, for everyone is still in ANWESAN (quest) of that girl.
His best laid plan to create a wonderful scenario which appeared so realistic in the virtual world of Facebook started to yield results. No less than half a dozen girls in that group instantly bought his story and were all over him. They literally got into a cat fight to grab his attention, making a beeline of their melted hearts showering him with sympathy. Before they realized, their compassion had transformed into infatuation, infatuation to love.
One of the girls promptly offered a gift of an expensive Parker pen to the pilot. Another girl was on the verge of leaving her family to fulfill the void left at the man's heart now that his girlfriend (fictitious) is gone. The ladies were ready to give up their everytning for someone they never met before. In the wildest of their dreams they didn't know that their man in Shining Armor, their hero was a conman.
At this point I was starting to get curious to know about this guy. Couple of times he mentioned about flying to US Airforce base in Colorado on some training mission. I requested him to share his telephone number while he was supposed to be in US. He was evasive - "this is a top secret mission, we are not supposed to give our contact number". He agreed to gave me his India number and told me that I may call him once he returns back". Something didn't sound right. Nevertheless, I called him after a few days.
On the other end was a hoarce voice, coughing - "Brother, I am in Egypt now, just flew my fighter plane straight from Russia. It was snowing there. Here it's damn hot. The sudden change of weather caused me a bad cold. Sorry, brother. Can't talk any longer. Too tired and want to call it a day". "No problem. Take care" - I replied.
But my suspicion only grew. Our dashing man Chiranjeebi Dash avoids to talk, and when he talks it is a coarse, shadowy voice from some shady place in Egypt at the other end. Something ain't sounded right. I thought of disclosing my findings, but was apprehensive that it will fall into deaf ears of these women who were completely smitten and mesmerized by their pilot hero. So, I kept quite.
A few days later, a real Odia pilot was killed along with 4 more Airforce guys as their flight crashed near Gwalior. Our Chiranjeebi immediately announced that the unfortunate Odia pilot was his friend and he was supposed to be in that flight but somehow was lucky to have missed the ill fated flight by a whisker. The girls went gaga over him, their infatuation grew many fold. They profusely thanked God for saving the precious life of their SAPNON KA SAUDAGAR (Dream man).
At this point I gave Chiranjibee the benefit of doubt and wasn't suspicious anymore. Though I was on right track, after this incident I blamed myself for being inordinately skeptical, with my suspicion hitting a road block. It was vindicated that my Sherlock Holmes skills has its limitations. A real guy is dead. The aircrash has been reported in all the major Indian newspapers. Poor Chiranjibee is mourning his friend and I am needlessly getting suspicious about someone who just lost his friend and not long ago lost his girlfriend. I felt offtrack.
Or so I thought. Chiranjibee remained the blue eyes boy of these Odia girls, until his luck finally finally ran out after a year. This man posing as the legendary pilot got caught one day by another member of the group while trying to change phones and modulate his voice to play the character of Airman Chiranjeebi. Caught red handed, he admitted of playing the role of a fictitious character to flirt with the girls. Now folks were able to connect the dots and his victims figured how they were taken for a ride for couple of years by this imposter. Poor ladies, their Knight in Shining Armor they so long fantasized had turned into a crook.
Years later I happened to meet this guy during my trip to Odisha. I confronted him, urf the fictitious Chiranjibee and asked him right on his face - "Should I address you with your real name So and So, or as Chiranjibee, the dashing Air Force pilot ?" He sounded embarrassed, "BHAI, KAHI CHUNA MARUCHA. GOTE KHARAP BELA THILA - Bro, why you are adding salt to the wound. It was my bad time". I replied - "You had a good time. Many men would love to be in your shoes. After all, who can make half a dozen women go crazy simultaneously after one person ? Only celebrity can and you had your celebrity status for quite long time".
That Facebook group is no more there, probably defunct now. From what I heard, this guy has been blocked, unfriended by some of the ladies. Yet the memory of the Indian Airforce Pilot Chiranjeebi, as the name goes, lives on.
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