Two history-sheeters arrested for robbing man using ‘Grinder’ in Mylapore
The accused also recorded a video of the victim and threatened him with a leak online if he approached law enforcement.
CHENNAI: Two youngsters, including a 19-year-old, were arrested by the Mylapore police for luring a 23-year-old man to meet in person after acquainting through Grindr app (a social networking and dating platform for LGBTQ community) and robbing him.
The accused also recorded a video of the victim and threatened him with a leak online if he approached law enforcement. Police said that the incident happened during the early hours of Sunday (August 24).
The complainant went to North Mada Street in Mylapore late night on August 23 as per the invite from the men on Grindr app. When he reached there, one of the accused took him by the side of a public toilet where the other joined him.
The duo threatened the victim and made him transfer Rs 380 from his phone to their account, and then made him call his friend who transferred another Rs 1,000. They threatened him by recording a video of him using Grindr, and left the scene warning him that the video would be leaked online if he approached the police.
Despite the threats, he filed a police complaint. After investigations, the police arrested Surya (19) and Mukesh alias Ajay (25) – both from Mankollai area in Mylapore. Probe revealed that the duo were serial offenders with several cases against them, including one under the TN Prevention of Harassment of Women (TNPHW) Act.
They were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.
Police Commissioner A Arun has already written to the authorities to suspend/ban Grindr app, as a probe into synthetic drug networks had revealed that the app was frequently featured as the medium through which suppliers reached out to peddlers and customers. The city police have appealed to the public to be wary of using such apps.
