Man assaulted after being abducted for ₹10 lakh extortion money

A 19-year-old man was abducted from a gym in Gurugram by at least six suspects who assaulted him and demanded a ransom of ?10 lakh. The victim was released after promising to pay within a week. The incident came to light after a video of the assault was circulated on social media. An FIR was registered against the suspects, some of whom are alleged drug addicts. Notices have been served to them but some are on the run.

Gurugram: A 19-year-old man was allegedly assaulted after being abducted in his car from a gym in Sector 15 by at least six suspects, Gurugram police said on Thursday. The abductors also asked him to pay ₹10 lakh if he wants to escape their assault, police added.

Man assaulted after being abducted for ₹10 lakh extortion money

Police said the victim, identified as Moksha Dagar, who studies at a private university in Sector 53, got into his car after coming out of the gym on the night of May 31, when five suspects, some of whom are members of the same gym, knocked on the window and started asking about the car’s alloy wheels.

Investigators said that as soon as Dagar rolled down the window, the suspects forcefully barged into his car and overpowered him. Later, more suspects reached the spot in an SUV, and they took him to a secluded place near Signature Tower and assaulted him. However, after spotting some passers-by, they drove to another secluded area in Sector 29.

Investigators said the suspects put pressure on him to pay them ₹10 lakh and threatened him with dire consequences. They later freed him on a road near the Signature Tower, when he promised them that he would pay the amount within a week, police added.

As per police, the victim did not disclose his ordeal to his parents for a week out of fear. He approached police only after a video of his assault, recorded by the suspects, got circulated on social media websites and one of his close friends saw it.

Dagar submitted a written complaint at Civil Lines police station after which an FIR was registered against the suspects under Section 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 365 (abduction), 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on Wednesday, police said.

Vijay Dagar, the victim’s father said, “As far as I know, the suspects are drug addicts”.

Subhash Boken, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said they have served notices to the suspects but some of them are on the run. “We will arrest them at the earliest,” he added.