Lucknow, Feb 1 (IANS): In a bizarre incident, two criminals sprayed a chemical, purportedly a sanitizer, on a woman and fled with her gold bangles.

The incident took place on Sunday evening in Thakurganj police station area of the state capital Lucknow.

The victim identified as 39-year-old Vaishali Kapoor in her complaint to the police said she was alone when the doorbell of her house rang, and saw two men at the gate when she opened the door.

The two miscreants told Vaishali that they had come to deliver a parcel sent for her husband Amit and asked her to collect it on his behalf.

Not suspecting anything, Vaishali stepped out and went to the gate to collect the parcel, when one of the criminals asked her to get her hands sanitized citing Covid-19 protocol.

He took out a bottle and sprayed some chemical on her hands and in the air, following which Vaishali fell unconscious.

When Vaishali regained consciousness, she found both her gold bangles missing. "I rushed out to see if I could spot the two miscreants but could not find them as they had fled. I asked for help from some people passing by, but they did not hear me," she said in the FIR.

Vaishali's husband Amit was at his paint shop while her 12-year-old son had gone to play outside when the incident occurred.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chowk, I.P. Singh, said an FIR has been registered and the footage of CCTVs installed in the nearby areas is being checked.

Such an incident has been reported for the first time in the city, he said.

Singh said prima facie it seems the miscreants were aware that Vaishali was alone in her house at that time.