Lucknow Police have uncovered a robbery racket operating through a dating app, targeting victims by luring them under the pretext of meetings. Five members, including a minor, of the gang have been arrested from various localities of the city so far.
According to Lucknow Police, the gang befriended individuals via a dating app called ‘Grindr’ and robbed them of cash, jewellery and funds via UPI. Since the first arrests on Monday, Lucknow Police have been tracking down other victims to dismantle the criminal network.
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HOW THE GANG OPERATED
The first case involved a 50-year-old unmarried schoolteacher from Ghazipur area. After several days of chatting on Grindr, two men reached his residence and proceeded to beat and gag the man. The duo stole around Rs 3 lakh in cash and a gold chain before fleeing.
The second incident took place on February 25, when an event organiser was called under the pretext of discussing decoration work. The gang took him to the banks of the Gomti and robbed the victim of his gold chain and cash. They also forced him to transfer money via UPI.
During the interrogation, members of the gang admitted to targeting multiple individuals using similar methods. According to police officials, such gangs operate not only in Lucknow but also in neighbouring districts. The members of the gang were also familiar with similar patterns of fraud in other countries, added police officials.
The latest revelations by the Lucknow Police underline increasing criminal activity via dating apps like ‘Grindr’, which are used by millions of people worldwide.
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Published By:
Aprameya Rao
Published On:
Mar 20, 2026 15:12 IST
