College student abducted and assaulted near Bengaluru; Eight in police custody: Report

A college student in Bengaluru was kidnapped and violently assaulted after sending an inappropriate message to a young woman. Eight suspects have been arrested.

Updated on: Jul 7, 2025, 11:31:09 IST

By HT News Desk, Bengaluru

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In a disturbing case reported from the outskirts of Bengaluru, eight individuals have been taken into custody after a college student was allegedly abducted and subjected to a violent assault, police confirmed on Monday, as per reports from news agency PTI.

Bengaluru police registered a case under charges including kidnapping and robbery. (iStockphoto)

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The incident unfolded on June 30 in Soladevanahalli, located in the Nelamangala region near Bengaluru. The victim, identified as Kushal, reportedly sent an inappropriate message to a young woman, prompting her to alert a group of acquaintances.

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According to investigators, the group allegedly lured Kushal into a vehicle before driving him to an isolated location. There, he was stripped and beaten, with the attackers issuing chilling threats referencing the recent Renukaswamy murder case, which has drawn widespread attention due to its links to Kannada actor Darshan and many of his associates.

A video of the assault, which surfaced online and quickly went viral, shows the perpetrators likening themselves to the key suspects in the Renukaswamy case, naming themselves as "accused number one, two, and three" while identifying the victim as Renukaswamy, the report stated.

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Police acted swiftly, registering a case under charges including kidnapping and robbery. All eight accused were arrested and are currently in custody, officials confirmed. Their identities have not yet been revealed.

Further investigation is underway and more details are awaited.

Over 50 explicit clips found on Hindu leader's phone in Karnataka

In a similar incident in Mangaluru, police discovered more than 50 sexually explicit video clips from the mobile phone of Samith Raj Dharegudde, a district-level co-convenor of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike in Dakshina Kannada district during investigation into a separate case.

(With inputs from PTI)

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