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Missing Teen Fakes Kidnapping for Ransom
12 Oct
Summary
- A 17-year-old faked his own kidnapping for money.
- He sent a ₹10 lakh ransom demand from his own phone.
- The student was found safely at Varanasi railway station.
A 17-year-old student from Barabanki, reported missing after leaving for college on Saturday, was safely located at Varanasi railway station early Monday. His family had received a WhatsApp message demanding ₹10 lakh ransom, purportedly sent from the boy's own phone. This message claimed he was held near Jaunpur and threatened violence if police were involved or the ransom was not paid.
Family members initially approached the Satrikh police station, but their complaint reportedly faced delays. Following renewed efforts on Sunday morning, investigators tracked the phone to Varanasi railway station. Local police then successfully recovered the teenager.
Initial inquiries indicate the student staged his own disappearance and sent the ransom threat to extort money from his family. Authorities are now examining the circumstances of his departure and how the message was sent. A forensic analysis of his mobile phone is planned.
