A 19-year-old first-year BSc LLB student in Bengaluru allegedly faced a traumatic ordeal after being lured to a lodge by his junior, where he was reportedly threatened, assaulted and robbed by a gang of six youths, including minors.
The victim, identified as Aabid (name changed), is a resident of RT Nagar and a student at a private university in Bengaluru.
Junior Allegedly Lured Victim Through Instagram
According to the police complaint, Aabid had studied at an international residential school near Kengeri during his pre-university course (PUC). One of the accused, a 17-year-old junior, had studied in Class 10 at the same institution, and the two were acquainted.
Police said the junior contacted Aabid through Instagram on May 16 and again the following day, insisting that he meet mutual friends in Vijayanagar.
Aabid reportedly travelled there with another friend and informed the junior after arriving. Soon after, another accused identified as Harsha allegedly shared the location of a lodge.
Victim Forced to Hold Drugs and Weapon
The victim told police that after reaching the lodge around 5 pm, the group initially engaged in casual conversation about studies and college life.
However, the situation allegedly escalated after the junior asked Aabid’s friend to leave the room.
The junior then reportedly told Aabid to wait for a few more minutes, claiming his elder brother would arrive to pick them up. Shortly afterwards, five other youths allegedly entered the room.
According to the complaint, the accused demanded money from Aabid. When he said he had none, they allegedly forced him to hold drugs and a lethal weapon while recording a video on a mobile phone.
The gang then allegedly threatened to release the video publicly if he failed to pay money.
Assaulted and Robbed in Nagarabhavi
Police said the accused later took Aabid in an autorickshaw to Nagarabhavi, where they stopped at a deserted location around 6 pm.
The student alleged that the group assaulted him, snatched his mobile phone and repeatedly attempted to secure loans in his name using his phone.
When those attempts failed, the accused allegedly stole:
- His mobile phone
- Wristwatch
- Earbuds
The victim said he was abandoned by the roadside around 8.30 pm.
Police Arrest Three Accused
After returning home, Aabid informed his parents about the incident. He later approached Byatarayanapura Police Station with his family on May 18 and lodged a formal complaint.
Police registered a case under sections related to:
- Voluntarily causing hurt
- Wrongful confinement
- Dacoity
under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A senior police officer said authorities have arrested 19-year-old Harsha and two juveniles, including the junior accused. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the remaining three accused.
Motive Linked to Robbery for “Quick Money”
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed that they targeted Aabid because they believed he belonged to a wealthy family.
Police said the group wanted to extort money from him in order to fund partying and other expenses.
