Home / Crime and Justice / Bhopal Lawyer Held "Hostage" by Cyber Scammers Posing as ATS Officers
Bhopal Lawyer Held "Hostage" by Cyber Scammers Posing as ATS Officers
2 Nov
Summary
- Lawyer Shamsul Hasan held for 3 hours by scammers claiming to be ATS
- Scammers falsely accused Hasan of links to Pahalgam terror attack
- Police rescued Hasan after his son alerted them to his unusual behavior
On 2025-11-02, a Bhopal-based lawyer named Shamsul Hasan became the victim of a sophisticated cyber fraud. Hasan received a call from someone claiming to be an ATS (Anti-Terrorist Squad) official, who alleged that Hasan's name had surfaced in the investigation of the Pahalgam terror attack. The caller warned Hasan that he and his family would be arrested if he failed to cooperate.
The scammer then kept Hasan engaged in a continuous video call, instructing him to remain inside a room and effectively isolating him. Hasan, fearing for his safety, complied and locked himself in the room for nearly three hours. Sensing something was amiss, Hasan's son alerted the local Kohefiza Police, who promptly reached the residence and rescued the lawyer.
Police later attempted to contact the number used by the fraudsters but found it blocked. The number was subsequently blacklisted on Hasan's phone as a precautionary measure. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat of cyber fraud, where criminals exploit the fear of law enforcement to manipulate and deceive unsuspecting victims.
