A 50-year-old man from Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh was lured into a blind date, held hostage and asked to pay a ransom of ₹3 lakh. Police launched an investigation after Chaubey’s son lodged a complaint, which led to the arrest of three accused, Kiran (35), Akhilesh Ahirwar (30) and Satish Singh Bundela (27). The victim was rescued from Jhansi.

According to police, the accused told them that several women were connected to an alleged group that targeted Chaubey. The accused also revealed that they call the men on the phone and ask them to meet in Jhansi, after which they hold them hostage until the ransom is paid.

Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mushtaq said the victim traveled to Jhansi on Friday and was then asked to pay a ransom after being kidnapped. Chaubey had already paid INR 1 lakh. Further, his son filed a complaint that Chaubey was kidnapped and they received a ransom call.

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The police rescued Chaubey by pretending that a policeman could be his son to deliver the ransom, allowing them to discover the location and apprehend the accused.

The SP added that action is being taken against the arrested accused under the Gangsters Act and an investigation is underway to trace other members.

Last month, five people were arraigned for allegedly honey-trapping a man and robbing him of ₹10,000 in Khurja, Bulandshahr district.

The victim was held hostage and beaten by the accused, who took him to Aligarh. According to the victim, the accused tried to stockpile INR 5 lakh by threatening to file a fake rape case against her.

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Another gang involved in honey trapping was arrested in September by the Meerut Police. The gang had seven members, including two women, who caught men using fake Hindu identities.

Before this, a gang of honey trappers, led by a mother and a minor daughter, was arrested by the Kotwali Surajpur police in Greater Noida. Police have arrested five in the case.