Hans News Service Nandyal

TheNandyal Taluk police on Thursday arrested four youths for allegedly luring a man through a social networking application, assaulting him with iron rods, and robbing him at knifepoint.

The arrested individuals were identified as Bolledula Pavan Kumar (21), Gurram Venkata Naga Charan alias Charan (19), Pasupuleti Venkata Umakanth (21), and Bal Shetty Hemanth (19), all residents of Nandyal town. Police seized two knives, two iron rods, five mobile phones, Rs 5,800 cash, and a Honda motorcycle from their possession.

According to the police, the accused befriended the victim via the Polo application and persuaded him to meet near the Golden Function Hall on the Nandyal-Kothapalli road on August 15. They subsequently took him to an isolated area near Anjaneya Swamy Temple, where they threatened him with knives, physically assaulted him, and fled after snatching Rs 7,200 in cash and his mobile phone.

Following a complaint lodged on August 17, District SP Suneel Sheoran directed special teams led by Taluk CI R Eshwaraiah, under the supervision of ASP Susmitha, to track down the offenders.

The police team intercepted and arrested the four accused near PAV Ventures in Nandamuri Nagar. A case was registered under Section 309(6) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Addressing the media, ASP Susmitha stated that the accused are suspected of having targeted other individuals using similar digital lures and appealed to other victims to approach the police without hesitation.