The suspects are Bailziya, Suresh, Shakir, Nizam, Rizwan, Sunil and Ziya, all aged 25, and residing at K G Halli and Siddapura. Police nabbed the gangsters within a week they started their criminal activities, claimed D J Halli police inspector B V Pradeep. The gang targeted rich young men and businessmen in Frazer Town, Bharatinagar and Siddapura areas, kidnapped them and extorted money from them.

They locked them up in an abandoned house near K G Halli Circle, and collected valuables, including ATM cards. They withdrew money using the ATM cards and tortured their victims for two days before setting them free the next day, warning them of dire consequences if they complained to the police. The victims, fearing attacks, did not lodge a complaint. However, one of the victims informed the police about the gang and its activities.

Based on the complaint, the police nabbed the gangsters from the abandoned house on Sunday.

Held for extortion

The Central Crime Branch police arrested a private financier for allegedly extorting people and recovered more than 100 documents, including blank bank cheques, stamp papers and other documents.

The suspect, Bojaraj Shetty (42), owned Venkateshwar Real Estate and Land Developers on Banaswadi Main Road in Maruthi Sevanagar.

He had extended loans for higher rate of interest without obtaining a licence from the government and had violated all norms while lending money.

He identified those in dire need of  money and extended loans for 10 to 20 per cent interest rate. He obtained blank cheques, stamp papers and demand drafts signed by the borrowers as security towards the loan. He lent money up to Rs two crore, police said. In another incident, the sleuths arrested four persons allegedly involved in gambling and recovered Rs 49,000, two cellphones and other papers. The suspects were Iqbal, Riyaz from Wilson Garden, Ansar from Bambu Bazaar and Pyarejan from Tannery Road.

Based on a tip-off, the police arrested them near N R Road on S J Park area recently. Two other suspects Fayaz and Rehman are at large.

2.8 kg ketamine seized

Customs officials arrested one person on the charge of trying to transport ketamine and recovered 2.8 kg of the banned substance from him. The suspect was identified as Ayub Sharif from Chennai.

Based on a tip-off, the officials apprehended him for questioning, near a private courier office in Sampangiramanagar and found a package containing the banned substance in his bag.

Sharif said a person had given him the packet and directed him to courier it to an address in England.

Sharif admitted that he was involved in such activities for the past few months.

Drunk drinks acid

A 52-year-old person died after he accidentally consumed acid under the influence of alcohol.

Chandrappa (52), a resident of Raghavendra block in J P Nagar, was employed to clean toilets in an apartment.

On Sunday night, Chandrappa returned home in an inebriated state. He woke up late in the night to drink water, but accidentally drank acid stored in a bottle.

His wife, Gauramma shifted him to Victoria hospital where he died on Monday.