- Six gang members in Hyderabad were arrested for robbing men via a dating app
- Victims were lured to isolated places, assaulted, and robbed of valuables, including gold
- The gang used the Grinder app to trap men and threatened to leak videos for extortion
Six members of a gang in Telangana's Hyderabad have been arrested for using a dating app to rob men.
The incident came to light after one of the victims filed a police complaint after being robbed on April 6. He said he was told to come to an isolated place and was waiting on the road. A man then approached him and asked for directions.
He was then forced into a car and taken to an isolated area. Other members of the gang then joined and assaulted him. They also robbed a gold chain weighing around 15 grams.
"Based on the complaint, we formed special teams and worked quickly. Within four days, we arrested six members. One accused is still on the run," senior police officer Sridhar said.
The arrested accused have been identified as Kusuma Karthik, Ram Raja, Bablu Singh, Kandula Sai Teja, Gandla Shravan and Macharla Pawan Kalyan.
Another accused, Chennakeshavulu Pawan Kalyan, is on the run. Police said all of them are from the Warangal region and some have past criminal records.
During the operation, police recovered six mobile phones, a Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and a scooter used in the crime.
Explaining about the modus operandi of the gang, the officer said they used a gay dating app to contact men and gain their trust.
After fixing a meeting, they would take the victims to isolated places, assault them and record videos.
"They used the Grinder app contacts to trap people. They threatened to leak videos and photos and forced victims to give money and gold," he said.
Police also found that the gang was involved in similar offences in various areas.
"People, especially youth, should be very careful while using social media and dating apps. Don't trust unknown persons or share personal details," he warned.
