A late-night craving for the famous Hoskote biryani turned into a horrifying ordeal for four college students in Bengaluru. What was supposed to be a fun food adventure ended with them being kidnapped, assaulted, and robbed by a large gang.
The Fateful Biryani Run Turns Sour
The incident began in the early hours of Sunday. A group of four friends, including two visitors from Hyderabad, decided to embark on a culinary journey. Drawn by the cult status of Hoskote biryani among the city's night owls, they set off around 4 am. The group consisted of Saketh Reddy, Manoj R, Revant Reddy, and Sujal.
After enjoying their meal, the four started their return journey to KR Pura. However, their trip home quickly descended into a nightmare. At approximately 5:20 am near Medahalli, close to Avalahalli in Whitefield, their path was blocked. A gang of 14 to 15 young men surrounded their bikes.
Kidnapping and Brutal Assault
The attackers first questioned the students about their identities and where they were coming from. Without any provocation, they then began assaulting the four friends. The situation escalated rapidly as the students were forcibly taken to a nearby room and held captive.
Inside the room, the kidnappers started their robbery. They used the victims' own mobile phones to initiate online transfers. A total of Rs 1.08 lakh was siphoned from the students' bank accounts into the accounts of the criminals. The thieves also took Rs 40,000 in cash, three mobile phones, and a 23-gram gold chain. The total value of the stolen items and money was Rs 1.48 lakh.
Alert Friend's Call Saves the Day
The terror did not end there. The gang demanded more money. They forced Saketh Reddy, a second-year BBA student from Bagalur, to contact his friends and ask for urgent fund transfers. One of Saketh's friends, however, sensed that something was terribly wrong. This alert individual immediately contacted the Bengaluru police control room.
Realizing that the police had been alerted, the kidnappers panicked. They released the four students, dumping them outside before fleeing the scene. The traumatized victims managed to file a formal complaint with the police on Monday.
Following their complaint, Avalahalli police officers detained one suspect on Tuesday. A major manhunt has been launched to track down and arrest the remaining members of the large gang involved in this brazen crime. The police investigation is ongoing.
