Bengaluru Student Abducted by College Mates in Hostel Area, Rescued in Tense Police Operation
A routine evening among hostel mates in Bengaluru turned into a harrowing ordeal when a 19-year-old student was forcibly abducted by a group of his own college peers. The incident, which unfolded on Saturday evening, triggered a tense, hours-long search that culminated in a swift and coordinated police rescue operation the same night.
Details of the Abduction and Ransom Demand
Rishabh Mohanty, a first-year Bachelor of Management Studies student at Jain Deemed-to-be University and a native of Odisha residing at a hostel in BTM Layout 1st Stage, was kidnapped by four students from the same institution. According to the complaint filed by Yash Jain, a third-year BCA student and Mohanty's hostel mate, the abduction occurred between 7:50 PM and 8:10 PM in front of the hostel.
Mohanty was allegedly forced into a Tata Tiago car bearing registration number KA-05-NJ-4238 by the group. The first indication of trouble emerged around 8:40 PM when Jain, who was with another hostel mate Aditya Mewar in JP Nagar, received a frantic call alerting them about the abduction. Approximately thirty minutes later, the situation escalated dramatically: a call came from Mohanty's phone, with the caller demanding a ransom of Rs 50,000 and threatening to kill Mohanty if the money was not paid. Mewar answered that alarming call.
Police Response and Tactical Rescue Operation
Alarmed by the threats, the students initially conducted their own search before contacting the police helpline 112 around 1 AM, nearly four hours after the abduction. A formal complaint was subsequently filed, prompting an immediate and rapid response from law enforcement.
A special team led by ACP P Vasudev VK and Inspector Mohammed MA launched a coordinated operation. Police strategically kept Jain and Mewar in contact with the kidnappers, even instructing them to transfer small amounts—Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000—to buy time and prevent any harm to the victim. Simultaneously, officers tracked Mohanty's mobile phone, which led them to the house of one of the accused, Syed Bilal, located in Jayanagar.
The police team moved in swiftly and successfully rescued Mohanty. Investigators revealed that Mohanty had been confined inside the house and threatened with an air pistol and a knife. The gang allegedly forced him to choose which weapon would be used to torture him, adding to the psychological terror of the ordeal.
Arrests and Investigation Findings
The four arrested individuals are:
- Aditya Bonsle, also known as Aditya Roxie
- Shaurya Agarwal
- Syed Bilal
- Nikunj
Roxie, identified as a former student of the university and a native of Maharashtra, had been claiming to be a local among peers and used his alias on social media accounts. The other three accused are currently enrolled at the institution.
During interrogation, the accused claimed that Mohanty owed them money, an allegation that Mohanty has firmly denied. Police stated that no evidence has yet been found to support this claim. The car used in the abduction has been seized, along with the air pistol and knife. All four accused were produced before a magistrate on Sunday and remanded in judicial custody.
A senior officer explained the tactical approach: "The reason we made the victims transfer around Rs 5,000 in total was to ensure the kidnappers did not harm the victim. These transfers were part of a deliberate strategy to keep the kidnappers engaged until his precise location was confirmed."
This incident highlights the swift action of Bengaluru police in handling a critical kidnapping case, ensuring the safe rescue of the student through calculated measures and rapid response.
