Police bust gang robbing gay men after meeting through dating apps

Kochi: A robbery investigation by Kochi city police has brought to light crimes involving a three-member gang that allegedly targeted gay men through dating apps and robbed them.The revelations emerged during a probe into a case registered at Ernakulam Town North police station, where a make-up artist was robbed of a high-end mobile phone and a silver chain, together valued at Rs 1.55 lakh, on last Wednesday. According to the police, the accused contacted the victim through a dating app and lured him to Ernakulam North bridge in the early hours of Wednesday. Once the victim arrived, the gang robbed him. Investigators have also linked the group to a similar incident reported last week at Kammattipadam, where a 20-year-old man was allegedly lured from the railway station and robbed of a mobile phone worth Rs 65,000. Acting on a complaint, the police launched a probe and arrested two accused — Suraj, a native of Alappuzha, and Russel from Pathanamthitta — along with a minor who has since been sent to a juvenile home in Ernakulam. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Suraj and Russel allegedly attacked police officers and attempted to escape while being produced before a magistrate at his residence in North Paravur on Sunday. While Suraj was later caught near a canal in North Paravur, Russel is absconding. A police officer said the gang specifically targeted financially well-off individuals. "The accused created profiles on dating platforms used by gay men, carefully selected their targets, and robbed them," the officer said. Police have intensified efforts to trace the absconding accused and are also probing whether more victims may have been targeted using the same modus operandi.