A honeytrap racket operating in Udham Singh Nagar has emerged as a growing concern, with multiple cases reported in recent months. Police said the gang uses social media to befriend individuals, later luring them into private locations where they are held captive and blackmailed.
According to officials, women associated with the racket initiate contact online, exchange phone numbers, and invite victims for meetings. The victims are then allegedly confined, assaulted, and filmed in compromising situations. The accused use these videos to extort money, often threatening to make them public if demands are not met.
Police records indicate at least three such cases in the past two months, with similar patterns observed across incidents in areas like Rudrapur, Gadarpur, and Kashipur. Investigations have revealed links of the racket extending to Rampur, suggesting an inter-state network.
In one recent case on March 12, a युवक from Rampur alleged that a woman from the Transit Camp area trapped him and extorted money after assaulting him. Earlier, on January 27, police arrested an alleged gang leader identified as Johar alias Mehak in Gadarpur, though several associates remain absconding.
Another case from December 2025 involved a businessman in Kashipur who was called to a hotel and threatened with a false rape case unless he paid a large sum. Police arrested three accused in that case and recovered mobile phones used for blackmail. A similar “fake marriage” gang was also exposed in June 2025 in Pulbhatta, where victims were lured under the pretext of marriage and robbed.
Superintendent of Police (Crime) Jitendra Chaudhary said that police have taken action in several cases, including arrests in the Transit Camp area. However, the recurrence of such incidents indicates that the network continues to operate despite enforcement efforts.
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Officials have advised residents to avoid engaging with unknown individuals on social media and to report suspicious activity promptly. The pattern of repeated incidents has raised concerns about the effectiveness of preventive policing and public awareness in curbing such organised crimes.
