15-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Impersonating Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Member in Rs 50 Lakh Extortion Attempt

Shahjahanpur:

Authorities have apprehended a 15-year-old boy from Bengaluru for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 50 lakh from a trader by impersonating a member of the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

According to Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi, the incident began when local trader Ranjit Singh from the Nigohi area filed a complaint on October 31. Singh had received an extortion call via Facebook Messenger from an account under the name Om Singh. The caller identified himself as a Lawrence Bishnoi gang member and threatened to kill the trader if the demanded Rs 50 lakh was not paid.

In response to the complaint, police authorities formed three dedicated teams to identify and locate the suspect. "After tracking the location of the Facebook account, our teams were dispatched to Bengaluru in Karnataka and Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh. Our Special Operations Group successfully detained a 15-year-old boy in Bengaluru who operates a poha stall in the city," Dwivedi explained.

During initial interrogation, the minor reportedly admitted that he has no actual connection to any criminal gang. He revealed that he made the threatening call after being influenced by numerous crime-related videos he had watched on social media platforms. The boy stated that he runs a small food establishment to help support his family.

Officials disclosed that the minor is originally from Fatehpur district and currently resides in Bengaluru with a relative.

Following legal procedures, the accused teenager was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board and subsequently remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday.