A 69-year-old man in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, became the victim of a sophisticated ‘honeytrap’ orchestrated through an online dating app. Exploiting his loneliness, a criminal gang lured Virendra Bhatnagar to a remote location under the guise of a romantic meeting. While police have apprehended four suspects, several members of the gang remain at large.

A Trap Disguised as Romance According to the investigation, the gang used a fake profile named ‘Baby’ to establish contact with the elderly man. On April 17, he was invited to a secluded farmhouse for a meeting, where a group of young men were already lying in wait. Upon his arrival, the victim was immediately surrounded, assaulted, and threatened with death.

Assault and Systematic Robbery The perpetrators forcibly took the victim’s gold ring and neck chain before coercing him into revealing his mobile phone password. They then transferred ₹65,000 from his bank account via a digital payment app. Following a complaint filed by the victim’s son, police tracked mobile locations and successfully arrested four individuals involved in the crime.

This incident serves as a stark warning about the risks associated with social media and dating platforms in the digital age. Criminals frequently target wealthy or lonely seniors using emotional manipulation. Bijnor police have urged citizens to exercise extreme caution when interacting with unknown profiles online.

At a Glance

• A 69-year-old man in Bijnor was honeytrapped via a dating app and robbed of significant valuables.
• The victim was held captive at a secluded farmhouse, assaulted, and forced to transfer money digitally.
• Police have arrested four suspects, while efforts to locate two others are ongoing.
• Recovered items include the stolen cash and gold jewelry.