Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
In a bizarre case from Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district, a teenager allegedly staged his own kidnapping and used AI-generated images to demand Rs 1 lakh from his father to fund his online gaming activities.
The incident came to light in the Sikriganj police station area when a man informed the police that his nephew had left home and failed to return. Around the same time, several images were sent from the boy’s mobile phone to his father’s phone, accompanied by a demand for Rs 1 lakh.
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Treating the matter as a suspected kidnapping, police immediately registered a case and launched an investigation.
Using call detail records (CDR) and CCTV footage, police teams traced the boy and recovered him safely within two hours. He was later handed over to his family.
During questioning, police uncovered an unexpected twist. According to investigators, the boy, who was allegedly addicted to online gaming, had fabricated the kidnapping story himself to obtain money for use in online games.
To make the plan appear genuine, he allegedly sent AI-generated images portraying himself as a kidnapping victim and demanded Rs 1 lakh from his father. Police said no actual kidnappers were involved and the ransom demand had been orchestrated by the boy himself.
According to information gathered during the probe, the AI-generated images were reportedly created with the help of the boy’s girlfriend, who lives in Delhi.
Khajani Circle Officer Deepanshi Rathore said police acted immediately after receiving the complaint and traced the boy within two hours with the help of technical surveillance and CCTV footage.
She said the investigation revealed that the boy had staged the kidnapping and sent AI-generated photographs to support the false claim, with the sole aim of raising money for online gaming. Police confirmed that no third party had demanded money in the case.
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With inputs from Ravi Gupta
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
