Women gang arrested for kidnap, robbery

The city police have arrested two members of a women gang that would kidnap passengers during the night from the Kempegowda bus station in an autorickshaw and rob them.

The arrested have been identified as Asha (28), a resident of Banashankari, and Sudha alias Rekha (28), a resident of T Dasarahalli. The police are on the lookout for the other members of the team identified as Rathan, Suma, Padma and autorickshaw driver Rajesh.

The police said the gang used to target lone men at the Majestic bus station and City railway station. A gang member would approach the men on the pretext of offering sexual favours. She would later take him in an autorickshaw, saying she has booked a room in a lodge. After some distance, they would threaten him and demand money.

While most of the victims had not complained to the police, a 50-year-old man who was attacked in a similar manner, approached the Upparpet police and filed a complaint.

A resident of Udupi, he had come to the city on September 11 and was staying at the Yatri-Nivas lodge. While returning to his room after dinner, Sudha and Asha approached him and forced him to go along with them. One of them even bit him on his shoulder and assaulted him, fleeing with Rs 3,000.

After filing a complaint, the police brought him to Majestic and found Asha there. The complainant identified her. Her arrest and interrogation lea them to Rekha. The police also recovered the money they had robbed from the man.