Gay dating app scam busted in UP: 6 students arrested for blackmailing users

Kanpur Police in Uttar Pradesh has arrested a group of six students for allegedly luring people to their place through a gay dating app - Blued. It is alleged that the group recorded inappropriate videos of the victims to blackmail them for monetary favours.

The Kanpur students -- preparing for polytechnic and SSC exams -- used to reportedly thrash the victims if they refused to accept their demands.

A victim told police that one of the accused, with whom he connected on Facebook, invited him to his house to have a beer. He said the moment he reached his house and was having a drink, more group members came from behind and started misbehaving.

The victim claimed he was stripped and recorded by the group, who later asked him to pay to prevent the video from reaching his friends and relatives.

The victim also alleged that the accused withdrew Rs 25,000 from his bank account.

Additional DCP Lakhan Yadav said around nine-ten victims, after the incident came to the fore, have confessed to having gone to such an ordeal, adding that more would come forward as the probe proceeds.