Bengaluru, 13 April

Four people—former and senior students of the same college—were arrested for allegedly abducting a 19-year-old from his hostel in the city and later demanding a ransom of Rs 50,000 for his release, police said on Monday.

The victim, a first-year BBM student, was abducted by the accused on 11 April at around 7.50pm near his hostel in BTM Layout, they said.

However, the Madiwala police foiled the plan within four hours and rescued the kidnapped student, a native of Odisha, police said.

Of those arrested, two were former students of the same college, while the remaining two were current senior students there.

The matter came to light on the night of 11 April when information was received from a student stating that another student had been kidnapped near the college hostel in BTM Layout.

According to police, the victim was forcibly taken away in a car and held in an old house in Jayanagar on Saturday night. The accused allegedly threatened him with a knife and a fake pistol and demanded that he transfer Rs 50,000 via UPI, failing which he would be killed.

They also contacted his friends and family seeking money.

Acting swiftly, Namma 112 personnel immediately relayed the information to Madiwala police officials. Based on this information, a case was registered, and an investigation was initiated.

“Within five hours of the incident, the police, using technical surveillance, successfully rescued the kidnapped student and apprehended the accused. Further investigation is in progress,” a senior police officer said.

All the accused are aged between 19 and 23 years. One of them used his father’s car to carry out the abduction, while another former student, who had passed out from the same college, joined the group in taking the victim to the house in Jayanagar, which belonged to another accused.

Police said some money was transferred to the suspects to ensure they did not harm the victim.

Police suspect the accused are habitual offenders and are investigating their possible involvement in similar cases in the past. One of the accused was also previously involved in an extortion case, they added.

The accused were remanded to judicial custody, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.