Students’ midnight ride for Hoskote biryani turns nightmare | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: What began as a pre-dawn biryani run turned into a terrifying experience for four college students who were kidnapped, beaten, and robbed while returning to Bengaluru after a late-night trip for the much-acclaimed Hoskote biryani.The group, including two visitors from Hyderabad, set off around 4am Sunday drawn by the cult status of Hoskote biryani among the city’s night owls. After enjoying their meal, the four — Saketh Reddy, Manoj R, Revant Reddy, and Sujal — headed back to KR Pura, unaware that their ride home would turn into a nightmare.At Medahalli near Avalahalli in Whitefield, around 5:20am, their bikes were blocked by a gang of 14 to 15 young men. The attackers questioned the students about their identities and whereabouts before assaulting them without provocation. The four were forcibly taken to a nearby room where they were held captive.Inside, the abductors allegedly used the victims’ mobile phones to transfer Rs 1.08 lakh online to their bank accounts. They also stole Rs 40,000 in cash, three mobile phones, and a 23-gram gold chain, totalling Rs 1.48 lakh.The ordeal continued as the gang demanded more money and forced Saketh, a second-year BBA student from Bagalur, to ask his friends for urgent fund transfers. One alert friend sensed trouble and contacted the police control room. Realising the police had been alerted, the abductors panicked and released the four students, dumping them outside before fleeing.The victims filed a complaint Monday. Avalahalli police detained one suspect Tuesday and have launched a manhunt for the remaining gang members.
