Fake Kidnapping Call, UPI Ransom Demand: Kondhwa Police Trace Missing Teen On Train To Jharkhand
Fake Kidnapping Call, UPI Ransom Demand: Kondhwa Police Trace Missing Teen On Train To Jharkhand
Pune, June 22, 2026: Kondhwa Police have safely traced and rescued a 17-year-old girl who had gone missing from the Kondhwa area and have also registered a separate case against unidentified persons who allegedly attempted to extort money from her family through a fake kidnapping video call.
According to police, on June 18, 2026, around 4 pm, the complainant, a resident of Kakade Vasti in Kondhwa Budruk and originally from Bihar, reported that his 17-year-old daughter had been lured away from his lawful guardianship by an unknown person with dishonest intentions. Based on the complaint, Kondhwa Police registered a case under Crime No. 474/2026 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Following the registration of the case, the police investigation team began searching for the missing girl using CCTV footage and technical analysis. During the investigation, the complainant received a video call from unidentified individuals who claimed that his daughter was in their custody. The callers questioned why he had approached the police and subsequently sent a UPI scanner code, demanding money for her release.
The complainant immediately informed Kondhwa Police about the extortion attempt. Taking serious note of the development, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar directed senior officers, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 5, to initiate immediate action. A dedicated team was formed to trace the missing girl and investigate the extortion attempt.
Through technical surveillance and analysis of CCTV footage, investigators discovered that the girl had boarded the Azad Hind Express from Pune and was travelling towards Howrah, Kolkata. Kondhwa Police promptly coordinated with railway authorities and learned that the train was nearing Tatanagar in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
The police immediately contacted the Railway Police and ticket-checking staff at Tatanagar and shared the girl’s details. Acting swiftly, the railway authorities located the girl aboard the Azad Hind Express and safely took her into custody. A team from Kondhwa Police, along with the complainant, was then dispatched to Tatanagar, where the girl was handed over safely.
Meanwhile, Kondhwa Police have registered a separate case (Crime No. 478/2026) against the unidentified persons who allegedly made the fake kidnapping video call and demanded money. The case has been registered under Sections 318(4), 308(2), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Sanjay Darade, Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil, DCP (Crime) Gauhar Hasan, DCP Zone 5 Rajalakshmi Shivankar, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Namrata Desai.
The investigation team was led by Senior Police Inspector Santosh Khetmals and Police Inspector (Crime) Prashant Mandale, with the efforts of PSI Ravindra Gawde and police personnel Ravindra Chippa, Vishal Memane, Amol Hirve, Pushpendra Chavan, Santosh Bansude, Suraj Shukla, Amit Suryavanshi, Keshav Hirve, Prashant Khade, Riyaz Patel, Rahul Rasge, Rahul Shelar, Rashid Sheikh, Shahid Rajput and Omkar Shete.
