Member of dating app gang held in Nayapalli

Bhubaneswar: Nayapalli police on Thursday busted a gang that was active in robbing young men after posing as women and luring them through a dating app.

Police arrested one of the members of the gang, identified as Chikun Behera (23), while raids are underway to nab his accomplices.

The case came to light after a 22-year-old engineering student lodged a complaint on Jan 14 this year. “The victim had been chatting with someone he believed to be a woman. He was asked to meet the person at an isolated spot in Nayapalli. When he arrived, six men allegedly restrained and assaulted him, snatching Rs 12,000 in cash and a gold chain,” a police officer said.

The gang also allegedly forced the victim to transfer Rs 30,900 via UPI to one of their accounts. They reportedly recorded the incident on video and threatened to circulate it on social media if he revealed the crime.

“We have identified all the accused and suspect that some juveniles may also be involved. Efforts are on to arrest those still at large,” a police officer said. Recently, a doctor was duped in a similar fashion by another gang in Infocity area, sources said.