Two arrested for sextorting Coimbatore college woman

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore district police on Sunday arrested two youths who blackmailed, harassed and extorted a college woman by using a secretly recorded WhatsApp video call.The arrested youths have been identified as Arun alias Annamalai, 21, and Santhosh, 23.

Both are residents of Mettur in Salem district.According to the police, the woman is a final year BE student at a private college in Coimbatore and resides in a women’s hostel. In April 2026, seeking financial aid for her grandmother’s cancer treatment, she approached her schoolmate, Arun, for help. She entrusted him with two sovereigns of gold jewellery to pledge and raise funds. However, after taking the jewellery, Arun failed to give her the money.

Instead, he introduced her to his friend, Santhosh, claiming that he would arrange money.When the student contacted Santhosh, he induced her into an intimate WhatsApp video call under the pretext of arranging the funds. Believing his assurances, she complied. Santhosh secretly recorded the video call and shared it with Arun. Arun began threatening her, warning her that he would leak the clip in social media if she did not give him money.

She handed over Rs 2 lakh and an additional three sovereigns of gold coins to him.Santhosh began using the same video to blackmail her, demanding more cash and jewellery. Unable to bear the continuous extortion, she lodged a formal complaint on Saturday night. The Kovilpalayam police launched an investigation and traced the suspects through cyber surveillance. A special team tracked down and secured both Arun and Santhosh on Sunday.Both have been remanded in judicial custody.