A suspected gang allegedly targeting people arriving in the city from outside by using dating apps to lure, blackmail and extort them has been busted by Bazaar Khala police in Lucknow. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the case. The gang allegedly targeted a young man who had arrived in Lucknow to appear for a railway examination. He was allegedly promised a cheap room, taken to a secluded location and threatened with allegations related to obscene content on a dating app. The accused allegedly assaulted him, forced him to consume a substance mixed in water and made him transfer ₹90,000 online in five transactions.
The incident reportedly took place on the night of August 10. Sudhakar Pal, 29, a resident of Saryan village in the Muhammadabad Gohna area of Mau district, had arrived at Aishbagh railway station by the Kaifiyat Express. He was scheduled to appear for a railway examination on August 11 and was looking for accommodation near the station. During this search, he allegedly met a man who offered to arrange a room at a low price through the Grindr dating app and asked him to come to Charbagh railway station.
After Sudhakar reached Charbagh, several other young men allegedly joined the first person. According to the complaint, they took him to a secluded location on the pretext of arranging accommodation. The accused allegedly began threatening him by accusing him of using obscene content on the dating app. The victim has alleged that the situation escalated into physical assault and intimidation, with the accused pressuring him to hand over money.
The complaint further alleges that the accused mixed an intoxicating substance in water and forced Sudhakar to consume it. They allegedly used his mobile phone to make five separate online transfers totalling ₹90,000. After obtaining the money, the accused allegedly damaged his mobile phone. When Sudhakar regained consciousness, he managed to seek help and reached the Bazaar Khala police station, where he reported the incident.
Following the complaint, police registered a case and began investigating the alleged extortion. Investigators examined bank transaction details linked to the payments and scrutinised suspicious mobile numbers. CCTV footage from the railway station and surrounding areas was also examined to establish the movements of the suspects. Based on these leads, police arrested eight accused near Aishbagh railway station on Saturday.
The arrested accused have been identified as Raj, Nikhil Rawat, Abhijeet Rajput, Raj Rajput, Meraj Ahmed, Aditya Verma, advocate Dhirendra Pratap Singh alias Dheeraj Singh and Nisar Ahmed. According to police, Meraj is originally from Bahraich, Aditya Verma is from Ghaziabad and Dhirendra Pratap Singh is from Pratapgarh. Investigators have identified Dhirendra Pratap Singh as the alleged leader of the group.
Police said three cases related to assault were already registered against Dhirendra at Patti police station in Pratapgarh. Investigators are now examining whether the arrested suspects had allegedly targeted other people using a similar method. Police are also trying to determine whether the group specifically identified people arriving in Lucknow from other districts who needed short-term accommodation and were unfamiliar with the city.
Police recovered an unnumbered scooter, two motorcycles and a mobile phone allegedly used in the incident from the accused. The recovered device and banking records are being examined to identify the alleged gang’s activities and determine whether other victims may have been targeted. Investigators are also looking into how the accused allegedly contacted people through dating apps and whether personal information obtained during those interactions was subsequently used for intimidation or extortion.
The case has also highlighted the risks associated with sharing personal information with strangers on dating and social networking platforms. Users are advised not to install unfamiliar applications at another person’s request or share private information and live location with unknown individuals. Any first meeting with an online contact should preferably take place in a public location, and a trusted person should be informed about the meeting.
If someone threatens or blackmails a person over private conversations, photographs or dating-app activity and demands money, victims should avoid making payments under pressure. They should preserve chats, profiles, mobile numbers and transaction records and report the matter to police. The investigation remains underway, and further legal action will be based on digital evidence recovered during the investigation and information obtained from the arrested suspects.
