Bengaluru rape case: 11 held for kidnapping two techies, extortion

Bengaluru: A case involving the rape of a young woman and the subsequent kidnapping of two software professionals has taken a dramatic turn in Bengaluru, with police arresting 11 people in connection with the abduction and two men in the rape case.

The incident took place at a rented two-bedroom apartment in Marathahalli, where three friends from Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh — Mahendra, Tarun and Manju — lived together while working for software companies in Bengaluru.

Manju had travelled to his hometown last Saturday when his friend Rajkumar contacted him, seeking accommodation for a day for himself and his girlfriend. Manju advised him to collect the house keys from his flatmates and stay there.

Rajkumar and the woman arrived at the apartment. While the couple occupied one room, Mahendra and Tarun stayed in another. According to the complaint, the two men, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, suspected that the woman was a sex worker.

Police were informed that Rajkumar was forcibly taken into another room and confined, while Mahendra locked the woman in a separate room and raped her between around 1.30 am and 4.30 am. The woman was allegedly threatened and sent away the following morning.

Initially traumatised, she did not disclose the incident. She later approached Rajkumar, and the two decided to retaliate. Rajkumar informed Manju about the assault, following which a group led by Lokanath and Suhail was assembled.

Manju stayed in the apartment and provided information about Mahendra and Tarun’s movements. On Wednesday, a group of men allegedly arrived on motorcycles and abducted Mahendra at around 2.30 am. Tarun was reportedly abducted around 3 am while returning home after his night shift.

The two men were taken to an isolated location and assaulted. The abductors then called Mahendra’s father using Tarun’s phone and demanded Rs 10 lakh, threatening to kill Mahendra if the money was not paid.

After receiving the call, Mahendra’s father travelled from Andhra Pradesh to Marathahalli and alerted the police through the emergency number 112.

Police formed teams to trace the abductors and examined CCTV footage and motorcycle details. During the investigation, Manju was questioned after being called from his workplace, and investigators reportedly uncovered his alleged role in the conspiracy.

A police team eventually raided a house in Nagarabhavi, where the two men were allegedly found stripped and being assaulted. The woman was also reportedly present. Six people were arrested at the location, and five others were subsequently taken into custody.

Investigators suspect that the abductors planned to kill Mahendra and dispose of his body in an isolated area. They also allegedly intended to force Tarun to write a suicide note and stage his death as suicide.

Police have arrested 11 people in the kidnapping case and two men in connection with the alleged rape. A search is underway for two more suspects. The allegations are subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.

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