In a bizarre incident in Hapur, two men from Delhi attempted to carry out an elaborate insurance fraud scheme involving a mannequin disguised as a corpse. Kamal Somani and his associate Ashish Khurana, both residents of Kailashpuri Colony and Jain Colony in Delhi, arrived at the Brijghat cremation ground with what they presented as a dead body. After purchasing firewood and setting up a pyre, they attempted to place the dummy on it.

Their plan began to unravel when Nitin, a municipal employee responsible for overseeing cremation procedures, noticed that there were insufficient people accompanying the body. When he requested to see the deceased's face, they hesitated, which raised further suspicion. Upon inspecting the body, Nitin discovered that it was merely a mannequin.

Kamal initially tried to deceive the onlookers by claiming that hospital personnel had erroneously provided them with a mannequin. However, his story collapsed when police arrived and detained both men for questioning. According to Hapur circle officer Stuti Singh, it was revealed that the duo was plotting a well-crafted insurance fraud.

Somani, running a clothing business in Karol Bagh, had incurred significant financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving him with debts of nearly ₹50 lakh. In his desperation, he devised a scheme wherein he attempted to fake the death of a man named Anshul, whose personal details he had obtained through a former employee.

Using Anshul’s Aadhaar and PAN information, Somani purchased an online insurance policy in his name and consistently paid the premiums. Their objective was to conduct a cremation for the mannequin, obtain a death certificate, and subsequently claim the ₹50 lakh insurance payout.

To further authenticate the claim, police initiated a video call to Anshul, who confirmed he was alive and residing in Prayagraj. Additionally, a search of Somani's car revealed parts of two additional mannequins. Authorities have since filed a First Information Report against Somani and Khurana under sections pertaining to cheating and fraud. Both men were arrested, bringing an abrupt end to their fraudulent scheme.