India: 50-year-old UP man’s blind date turns into nightmare, gets kidnapped by gang; three arrested

A 50-year-old man from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur was rescued over the weekend after being held captive for ransom in Jhansi. Three individuals, including a woman, have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and honeytrap scheme. 

The victim, Lallu Chaubey, had been abducted on Thursday (Nov 7) and was being held for a ransom of ₹3 lakh ($3,552). The police launched an investigation after Chaubey’s son reported the kidnapping and ransom demand to authorities.

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Undercover operation leads to rescue

To capture the suspects, police formed multiple teams. One constable went undercover, posing as the victim's son, and agreed to deliver the remaining ransom money.

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This move led authorities to the location where Chaubey was being held, enabling them to rescue him and arrest three individuals involved in the crime.

According to a report by NDTV, the investigation began after Chaubey's son filed a complaint with the police, reporting that his father had been kidnapped and that they had received a ransom call. The police officer said the kidnappers had already received ₹1 lakh ( $ 1,184) of the total ransom amount.

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Woman among three arrested

The arrested suspects were identified as Kiran (35), Akhilesh Ahirwar (30), and Satish Singh Bundela (27). During interrogation, the suspects revealed that their scheme involved using women to lure victims to Jhansi, where they would then be kidnapped and held for ransom. Police also discovered that several women were reportedly involved in the gang’s operations.

(With inputs from agencies)