A 46-year-old homemaker from Bengaluru fell victim to a cyberfraud in which scammers impersonating police officers allegedly extorted ₹1.
Dead drop found in a garbage pile in Bowenpally.
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement
A police operation in Balanagar turned into a chaotic rooftop chase after three siblings, suspected of selling marijuana, allegedly unleashed dogs on the EAGLE Force teams, stabbed an inspector with a screwdriver and then made a dramatic attempt to flee across rooftops before one of the accused allegedly threatened to end his life.The early-morning operation ended with the arrest of three brothers, Bolla Durga Prasad, Bolla Kiran Kumar and Bolla Kamalakar, who allegedly ran an online marijuana network using a ‘dead drop’ system that allowed sellers and buyers to remain anonymous.
The dog, alleged to be a cross-breed of great dane, unleashed on the cops at Balanagar on Thursday (August 13) morning.
| Photo Credit:
By Arrangement
When two EAGLE Force teams reached their residence in Balanagar, the accused allegedly let loose their dogs, including a cross-breed with a Great Dane, on the police personnel. In the ensuing confrontation, Kamalakar allegedly attacked Inspector Mallesh with a screwdriver, causing a bleeding injury to his hand. The inspector was given first aid.
Inspector Mallesh of the EAGLE force stabbed in the commotion by Bolla Kamalakar with a screwdriver.
| Photo Credit:
By Arrangement
As officers tried to secure the premises, Kiran Kumar allegedly made a run for it, jumping from one building roof top to another in an attempt to escape the teams. He allegedly snatched a mobile phone from an elderly woman and recorded a video claiming he was going to end his life before jumping from a building. Police eventually secured him. He is undergoing treatment for his injuries from the fall.A search of their residence yielded about 14 kg of marijuana, an air gun and other material, police said. Investigators also found evidence indicating that the brothers had been selling marijuana online since 2025 and had earned around ₹25 lakh through the operation.
14 kilos of marijuana seized from the residence of the brothers in Balanagar.
| Photo Credit:
By Arrangement
The dramatic arrest was the culmination of a wider EAGLE Force investigation, involving 40 teams, that began when an alleged consumer was caught collecting a marijuana consignment from a dead drop. “The sellers would send customers a photograph of a particular location, leave the drug there and allow the buyer to collect it later, eliminating any face-to-face contact,” explained SP of EAGLE force, Giridhar.Police examined the consumer’s WhatsApp history and followed the digital trail to the sellers. As investigators mapped the network, they identified 203 consumers and formed 40 teams for the operation, with teams also sent to Odisha.Of the 203 consumers identified so far, 100 have been apprehended and 79 have tested positive for marijuana. The process of tracing and testing the remaining consumers is continuing.
Consumers who tested positive for marijuana at the EAGLE force officer in Abids Chirag Ali lane.
| Photo Credit:
By Arrangement
The network’s transaction trail stretches well beyond Hyderabad, with buyers identified in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Some of the larger trials include 239 transactions worth ₹3.61 lakh linked to one customer in Karnataka, 70 transactions worth ₹77,100 and 54 transactions worth ₹1.09 lakh involving Hyderabad-based customers.The consumer data shows the network had a sizeable young-adult customer base, with the ages available to investigators ranging from 19 to 54.Police are also examining accounts allegedly held by Harika, Durga Prasad, Krishnaveni and others as part of the financial investigation. Durga Prasad had previously been arrested by the Excise police, investigators said.Balanagar police have registered cases for the attack on police personnel. Published - August 13, 2026 11:26 pm IST
Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police K. Arun and other senior police officers inspect the scene where a 21-year-old woman was hacked to death at the KSRTC bus stand in B.C. Road, Bantwal taluk, on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRAGEMENT
The Bantwal Town police on July 17 got hold of Chethan, 22, who allegedly hacked 21-year-old Lavanya to death in the KSRTC bus stand at B. C. Road on July 16.The police said that the accused had consumed rat poison and was admitted to a hospital.Chethan, police said, is from Odilnala in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada.According to witnesses, the victim had boarded a KSRTC bus bound for Kakkepadavu. She later got down from the bus, following which the accused also alighted and attacked her with a machete. Though passers-by immediately rushed the victim to the Bantwal taluk government hospital, she was declared to be brought dead by doctors.Police identified the victim as Lavanya, a resident of Kakkepadavu village in Bantwal taluk. She was working in a private hospital at Kalladka. She was on her way back home at the time of the attack.Police sources said that the attack was the outcome of unrequited love.After attacking the victim, the assailant left the weapon behind and ran away from the bus stand. A video of the man attacking the woman with the machete and escaping from the area after she collapsed is widely being circulated on social media. Published - July 17, 2026 11:50 am IST
Suresh Gopi, Union Minister and actor
| Photo Credit: SIVA SARAVANAN S
The police have registered a case after an unidentified person allegedly created a fake casting call using the name of Union Minister and actor Suresh Gopi and circulated it online, officials said on Friday (July 17, 2026).The case was registered by the Thrissur Cyber Police in Kerala on July 14 based on a complaint lodged by Mr. Gopi, and an investigation has begun.According to the police, Mr. Gopi had recently shared a genuine casting call for a new film associated with producer Listin Stephen on his social media platforms. However, before that, a fake casting call carrying Mr. Gopi’s photograph began circulating on social media in the name of the Thrissur MP, asking men and women interested in acting in the film to send their photographs to a mobile phone number, the police said.The fake post also claimed that interviews would be held on July 15 and 16.After the fraudulent post came to his notice, Mr. Gopi lodged a complaint with the police, officials said.A case has been registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.The police said they are tracing the mobile phone number mentioned in the fake casting call. Published - July 17, 2026 09:55 am IST
Image used for representational purpose only. File Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Following the recent arrest of four youngsters for collecting hallucinogenic mushrooms from the reserve forests in The Nilgiris, the district police and the forest department are to conduct joint patrols in areas surrounding forest areas to prevent people from collecting the substances.According to police, Akash, a 20-year-old youth from Bombay Castle in The Nilgiris, as well as his friends from Coimbatore, Immanuel (19), Dhanush (21) and Harish (20), had trespassed into a reserve forest near Finger Post in Udhagamandalam and are said to have been collecting a species of mushroom known commonly as fly agaric, a known hallucinogenic mushroom that grows under particular species of trees following spells of heavy rain.Police said that in 2024, Akash and his girlfriend had consumed alcohol and the mushroom, leading to his girlfriend’s death. Police had arrested Akash and sent him to judicial custody. However, Akash is said to have come out on bail later and was studying in Coimbatore where he became friends with the three other youngsters with whom he was caught harvesting the mushrooms.Police have arrested all the four youngsters and have remanded them to judicial custody.After their arrests, police, as well as the forest department are to begin join surveillance of the areas in reserve forests where hallucinogenic mushrooms are known to spawn, said Nilgiris district Superintendent of Police, S. Brinda. The SP said the police will also hold discussions with the forest department to identify the locations where patrols would have to be intensified to prevent and deter youngsters from indulging in the collection of the mushrooms. Published - July 13, 2026 04:52 pm IST
An AI engineer allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death inside his PG accommodation in Gurugram before ending his life, police said on Sunday (July 12, 2026).The deceased were identified as Shreshth Malik (25), a resident of Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, and his girlfriend Ishara Ayubi (25), from Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur. Both worked for the same private company in Gurugram. Malik lived in a PG accommodation in Sector 55.The incident came to light after Ayubi's family approached the Sector-56 police station on Saturday (July 11, 2026) when they were unable to contact her.Acting on the complaint, police traced her mobile phone location to Malik's PG in Sector 55. After questioning neighbours, who said they were unaware of any incident, police had the room opened.Preliminary investigation indicated that she had been stabbed to death. A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team examined the scene and collected evidence.During the investigation, police learnt that a man's body had already been recovered from the railway tracks near Garhi railway station by the Government Railway Police (GRP).The deceased was identified as Malik through the mobile phone recovered from him, linking the two cases, police said.Preliminary investigation revealed that Ayubi had started living with Malik in the PG accommodation three days before the incident."We are investigating every aspect of the case. The nature of the relationship between the two individuals and the reasons behind the incident would only be revealed once the investigation is complete."The police are also examining their mobile phones, call details, chats and other technical evidence. An FIR of murder has been registered and further investigation is underway," Sector-56 SHO Inspector Manoj Kumar said.(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the helpline numbers: Tele-MANAS 14416, Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health - 011-4076 9002, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. -7.30 p.m., and iCALL 91529 87821) Published - July 13, 2026 12:54 pm IST
Cybersecurity researchers are advocating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered tools to help trace missing persons more quickly and efficiently.While conventional investigations largely rely on human intelligence, witness accounts, technical evidence, and surveillance camera footage, cyber forensics experts say AI can significantly improve both the speed and accuracy of investigations, especially when time is critical.Thousands of people, including women and children, are reported missing across the country every year. According to the National Crime Records Bureau data, 4,24,235 people reported missing — including 2,64,934 women and 13 transgender persons — remain untraced. In Tamil Nadu alone, 5,524 missing persons are yet to be located.G. Deepak Raj Rao, Professor, National Forensic Sciences University, Chennai, said AI systems could process information at a scale and speed impossible for humans to match. Police investigations were often constrained by limited manpower, making it impractical for investigators to simultaneously monitor video feeds from multiple surveillance cameras.AI systems, however, could analyse thousands of hours of CCTV footage in real time, detect movement patterns and generate alerts when a missing person’s identity is matched.“The longer it takes to locate a missing person, the greater the challenges. Every minute counts when it comes to the person’s safety and movement. In the case of a missing child, the first 24 to 48 hours are critical. In remote or under-resourced areas where police personnel are overstretched, AI-assisted tools can produce results within minutes, whereas conventional methods may take several days,” he said.Facial recognitionModern facial recognition systems can identify individuals across CCTV networks installed at public places such as shopping malls, bus terminals, railway stations and airports. AI can also detect and flag even partial images of missing persons appearing in social media posts, news reports or other publicly available content for further probe.Dr. Deepak said that in a majority of missing-person cases, particularly those involving young people, valuable digital footprints are often available. AI can scan social media platforms for last-known activity, location tags, and accounts linked to the missing individual. It can also analyse social media history to identify signs of emotional distress and map relationship networks to help investigators identify persons of interest.Senthil Kumar Ilango, a researcher studying AI applications in cybersecurity and investigations, said police agencies worldwide face the challenge of covering vast areas with limited manpower. while searching for missing persons. AI tools could analyse terrain, weather conditions, the person’s last-known location and behavioural patterns to prioritise search areas and provide investigators with actionable leads. He said one of the major challenges was the absence of a common platform to integrate information from multiple systems.“For instance, a person admitted to a hospital could be the individual police are searching for in a neighbouring district or State. But there is no mechanism to connect the dots. AI-powered integration platforms could automatically match unidentified individuals against missing-person records across jurisdictions,” Mr. Senthil Kumar said.Officials of Southern Railway said facial recognition cameras and AI-assisted surveillance tools were expected to be deployed at railway stations to help identify missing persons as well as monitor individuals with criminal antecedents.A few other cyber crime researchers were also of the view that AI-assisted tools would go a long way in expediting investigation in missing cases. Many developed countries were already deploying AI to trace persons reported missing and geographical boundaries were not a constraint. Published - July 06, 2026 12:24 am IST
Vehicles from the Aluva side remain stranded on the service road-cum-free left turn on the southern side of the Edappally flyover on July 4, 2026. Commuters have been demanding that the NHAI widen the bottlenecked free left turn at Edappally Junction to ensure smoother traffic flow.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Unscientific site management, potholes and the ensuing traffic snarls around the Kochi metro’s Kakkanad extension worksites at Palarivattom and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)’s flyover worksites on either side of Edappally Junction are making life miserable for commuters on the busy arterial roads, according to traffic police, commuters, and people’s representatives.This has, in turn, affected intra-city, inter-district, and inter-State commuters, often triggering traffic gridlocks on other city roads. The situation remains unchanged despite a meeting convened by District Police Chief (Kochi City) S. Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar, police sources said.Furthermore, the police also expressed helplessness in streamlining traffic flow, citing bottlenecks on several alternative roads caused by potholes, poorly restored trenches dug by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and other agencies, and haphazard parking.Expressing concern over the worsening traffic snarls at Palarivattom, Edappally Junction, Cheranalloor on NH 66 and Seaport-Airport Road over the past fortnight, Sherif S., Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kochi traffic police (East), attributed them mainly to unscientific barricading that leaves little space for motorists.“In most cases, neither the NHAI nor Kochi Metro Rail Limited [KMRL] consults the police while carrying out such works. The situation is compounded by inadequate supervision, with workers of contracting firms deciding where to erect barricades and dig trenches without considering the inconvenience caused to road users. The contractors at these sites do not even fill potholes. All these factors contribute to accidents, further disrupting traffic,” he said.On the severe waterlogging and potholes near the metro’s Jawaharlal Nehru station, where the Kakkanad extension works are under way, Mr. Sherif said such problems could have been avoided had KMRL and the NHAI adhered to the ‘Guidelines on Traffic Management in Work Zones’ under Section 55 of the 2014 Indian Roads Congress (IRC) norms. “The minimum the two agencies can do is execute the works around the clock to expedite these already-delayed projects and remove the barricades at the earliest. The NHAI must also urgently fill potholes on the Edappally-Palarivattom NH Bypass, for which it collects toll. In addition, it should appoint a liaison officer to coordinate with the police and civic agencies,” he added.The alleged delay by the Kochi Corporation in restoring trenched roads that could have been used as diversion routes has further worsened the situation. These include the Thammanam-Pullepady Road and its link roads leading to the NH Bypass. A senior Corporation official said efforts were under way to restore the roads, while a running contract had been awarded to repair pothole-ridden roads. “Agencies such as the KWA, KMRL, and the NHAI, which dig up roads, must ensure their timely restoration. They must also prevent debris and mud from their worksites from entering and choking drains,” he added.On the need for inter-departmental coordination, District Collector G. Priyanka said instructions had been issued to the Corporation, Public Works department, and the NHAI to ensure that roads under their jurisdiction were properly maintained. “They must also heed communications from the police and the Motor Vehicles department regarding roads and related infrastructure,” she added. Published - July 05, 2026 01:23 am IST
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who on Thursday (July 2, 2026) inaugurated several modernisation initiatives of the police, urged not to hide any crime figures and submit factual records to the Ministry of Home Affairs.“Do not hide any crime figures, and if there is any complaint, register FIR and take necessary action. Whatever details are sought by the Home Ministry relating to crime against women and children in terms of data, do not reduce it even by a single number,” the Chief Minister said addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat.The remarks by the Chief Minister assume significance as there have been allegations of furnishing false data related to crime to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) during the Trinamool Congress regime. Kolkata was recorded as the safest city as per NCRB figures over the past several years, during which incidents of violence against women continued to be reported in the city and the remaining State.“Unless we know what ails us, we cannot do any treatment. If we try to suppress the ailment, one day it will emerge as something big and we will not be able to tackle it,” Mr. Adhikari said.During the day, the Chief Minister inaugurated a dedicated help desk for women across all police stations in the State. These help desks will be operational round the clock in the police stations trained women police personnel will be deployed where women can air their grievances.Mr. Adhikari also inaugurated a cyber crime help desk at every police station that will deal with cases of cyber fraud. The Chief Minister said while safety and security of women remains the priority of his government the cases of cyber fraud are spreading like a pandemic.“One of the primary goals of our government is to ensure women’s security. Given the bitter experience of the Nirbhaya case and the Abhaya (RG Kar hospital rape-murder) incident in Kolkata, we have adopted a zero tolerance policy towards crime against women,” he said.Mr. Adhikari expressed hope that senior officials of the State at the Director General of Police (DGP) and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) level will train the cyber help desk personnel, as this is a very complex subject, something that requires training and cannot be tackled by general knowledge.He added that the cybercrime wing of the police will be headed by an Inspector General-level officer who will oversee the cybercrime help desks and assured that the State government will provide infrastructure, communication equipment and manpower in this regard.The Chief Minister, also lauded the passing of The West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026 and said it will provide a conducive atmosphere for the police to work.Mr. Adhikari pointed out that his government will appoint 20,000 police personnel who will be recruited in the State’s police force, including 4,000 in Kolkata Police, by September this year. The Chief Minister also added that he will introduce a police helpline -112 in the State by Durga Puja in October. Published - July 03, 2026 11:25 am IST
BJP leader Ameen Reddy Patil Yalagi has urged the State government to hand over case of multi-crore funds misappropriation that has been registered in the Shahapur Police Station to the CBI for a detailed investigation.Addressing a press conference, Mr. Yalagi said that the case related to misappropriation of multi-crore funds in Matoshri Hemareddy Mallamma Souharda Sahakara Sangha has been registered in Shahapur Police Station following a complaint by its long-term president Basanagouda Venkatarayagouda Malipatil.The police have handed over the case to the CID since the misappropriated amount exceeds ₹7 crore.Meanwhile, the complainant, Mr. Malipatil was found dead in his residence in Shahapur on June 30 after he was put under continuous pressure and was forced to face false allegations from depositors and bankers and also, a settlement in the presence of elders was rendered unsuccessful, Mr. Yalagi explained.He said that Mr. Malipatil left a note and also a video in which he has narrated the entire episode.He suspected that influential people may be involved in the misappropriation of funds. Thus, the State government should hand the case over to the CBI for a thorough investigation to bring out the truth and help hundreds of depositors get justice.Mr. Yalagi targeted MLA Sharanabasappa Darshanapur for not solving the issue to protect the interests of people. If Mr. Darshanapur had intervened, Mr. Malipatil wouldn’t have taken the extreme step.He urged the police to make Mr. Malipati’s note public.Following the June 30 incident, Mr. Malipatil’s son has lodged a case in the Shahapur Police Station in connection with his father’s death. The police have registered a case and launched an investigation.BJP district president Basavaraj Veebhutihalli, Rajshekhar Gugal, Parashuram Kurkundi, Guru Kama, Tirupathi and others were present. Published - July 02, 2026 11:28 pm IST
A 74-year-old
resident of Jayanagar I Block and his wife have lost ₹3.17 crore to fraudsters posing as police officers and telecom officials in a sophisticated ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud that lasted for more than three months.Based on the complaint filed by the victim, the South CEN Crime Police have registered a case on Tuesday and launched an investigation.Began in early MarchAccording to the complaint, the scam began on March 9, when the couple received a call from a landline number. The callers claimed that the complainant’s landline connection would be disconnected within two hours as it had been linked to criminal activities.The following day, the fraudsters instructed the complainant to press a number on the phone, after which the call was transferred to a woman posing as a senior telecom official and later to persons impersonating police officers of the rank of Dy. SP.The callers falsely alleged that the couple’s personal details had been used in money laundering, drug trafficking and hawala transactions, and claimed that criminal cases had been registered against them. They then subjected the couple to a “digital arrest”, warning them not to disclose the matter to anyone, not to leave their home without permission, and to answer every call immediately.To “verify” their finances, the fraudsters obtained the couple’s banking credentials and directed them to transfer money from multiple bank accounts to various accounts controlled by the accused. The complainants were also asked to mortgage their jewellery and transfer the proceeds, but they refused.Believing the claims to be genuine, the couple transferred funds in multiple transactions from accounts held into several beneficiary accounts over the course of the scam to the tune of ₹3,17,80,000.Delay in returning moneyThe fraud came to light after the callers repeatedly delayed returning the money on the pretext of completing an “income tax clearance” and eventually stopped responding. Realising they had been cheated, the couple approached the police on Monday.The South CEN Crime Police have registered a case and are investigating the bank accounts used in the fraud, as well as the identities of those who impersonated telecom officials and police officers. Published - July 02, 2026 07:54 pm IST
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