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The Doddaballapura police on Thursday arrested a 24-year-old autorickshaw driver along with his associate, who allegedly lured a 28-year-old food delivery executive through a dating app and tried to kill him by setting him on fire after extorting money from him.
The accused, identified as Akash, and his associate Srinivasa, were arrested based on the complaint filed by the victim, who is currently being treated at the hospital.
Probe revealed that the prime accused, Akash, is a habitual offender who was earlier arrested for allegedly murdering a school teacher by luring him on a dating app and killing him after he refused to pay in Gouribidanur in 2019. After spending a year in Chikkaballapura prison, the accused was shifted to Shivamogga prison where he was out on bail a month ago.
Soon after coming out of prison, the accused again resorted to his habit of zeroing in on gullible people on the app, inviting them for date with a plan to rob and kill them, the police said.
The accused allegedly called the victim to a secluded place within the Doddaballapura rural police station limits on October 29. The accused then allegedly bundled the victim into a car, sexually assaulted him, and demanded ransom for his release. They also allegedly assaulted him with a knife and snatched ₹5,000 from him. They later poured petrol in a bid to set him on fire when the victim resisted.
However, the lighter fell off and while they were trying to search for it, the victim managed to flee from the spot and reached a house nearby seeking help.
With the help of a few residents, he was taken to a nearby hospital in an ambulance, from where he was shifted to Victoria hospital.
Based on the complaint, the Doddaballapura rural police tracked down the accused and arrested them, charging them with attempt to murder, robbery, and unnatural sexual offence. They were later remanded in judicial custody. Efforts are on to track down the third accused who is presently on the run, the police said.
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