A group of criminals used the Grindr app (a popular dating app for the LGBTQ+ community) to trap, kidnap, and rob unsuspecting victims. The culprits not only looted the victims of their valuables but also took compromising photos and videos to extort money.
The crime came to light when a victim lodged an FIR at the Shikrapur Police Station on October 10. The accused have been identified as Sushant Popat Nagare (25), Mayur Raju Gaikwad (24), and Shreyash Bhausaheb Angare (24), all residents of Ahmednagar.
According to the police, the victim was standing on the road near Jai Malhar Hotel at Shikrapur. Meanwhile, a gang of three people approached the victim and asked him to guide them to the Mumbai route. They forcefully took him in the car, beat him up, and robbed him. They drove the car towards Ahmednagar highway, where they took a halt for refreshment. Taking advantage of the situation, the victim escaped and later lodged an FIR at Shikrapur Police Station under sections 137(2) and 309(6) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Acting on the seriousness of the case, the Pune Rural Police team started a thorough investigation. With the help of CCTV footage and other technical analysis, the Crime Branch team tracked the four-wheeler used in the said crime. Accordingly, all three accused have been arrested from Ahmednagar and the car has been seized.
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Speaking to the media, Pankaj Deshmukh, Superintendent of Pune Rural Police said, "All three involved in the crime have been arrested. During interrogation, the accused confessed to committing the crime and revealed their modus operandi. They have committed multiple such crimes earlier as well, and in some cases, they had taken photos and videos of the victims to extort money through the Grindr app. So far, a total of four cases have been registered: one in Lonikand and three in Shikrapur. The case is under investigation. We have urged the victims who have not yet done so to come forward and lodge FIRs in such matters."
