World · India Bureau
NEET student arrested after staging fake kidnapping over gaming debts
A 17-year-old medical entrance exam aspirant in Lucknow orchestrated his own abduction and sent false death messages to extract ransom from his family after losing approximately Rs 50,000 in online gaming. Police recovered the student with a female acquaintance after his father had already arranged Rs 3 lakh of the Rs 5 lakh demanded.
LSN India ·
Police in Lucknow have arrested a NEET-aspirant student for staging a fake kidnapping and threatening his family with fabricated death messages in an attempt to extort ransom money. The 17-year-old devised the elaborate scheme after suffering substantial losses in online gaming, accumulating debts he could not repay.
According to investigators, the student lost approximately Rs 50,000 through online gaming platforms and subsequently demanded Rs 5 lakh from his family as ransom, claiming he had been abducted. He reinforced the hoax by sending false messages suggesting he had been killed, prompting his father to mobilize funds urgently. The father managed to arrange Rs 3 lakh before authorities intervened.
Lucknow Police tracked down the student and discovered him in the company of a female acquaintance, unharmed. The recovery prompted a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. During questioning, officers uncovered the teenager's addiction to online gaming and mounting financial pressure as key motivating factors behind the scheme.
The case highlights growing concerns among law enforcement and child welfare organizations regarding online gaming addiction among adolescents in India, particularly those preparing for competitive entrance examinations. Authorities have registered a case and are conducting further investigations into the circumstances of the fabricated kidnapping.