CHENNAI: Police have launched a search for a car-borne gang that abducted a 27-year-old YouTuber from Jawaharlal Nehru Road, assaulted him, and held him captive in Vandavasi, demanding Rs 2 lakh in ransom. The victim managed to trick his captors and escape before lodging a complaint.

The victim, Balachandran, a resident of Kilpauk, runs a YouTube channel titled 'Chennai King Bala'.

According to the complaint, Balachandran was standing near Kasi Theatre late on the night of August 5 when a group of men arrived in a car and forced him inside. Two more men joined them a short distance away. The gang assaulted him, demanded Rs 2 lakh, and drove him to Vandavasi in Tiruvannamalai district, where he was locked in a room.

Police said the suspects later brought Balachandran back to Flower Bazaar in Chennai after he convinced them that he could arrange the cash through a friend there. Capitalising on a moment when his captors were distracted, Balachandran managed to flee and ran into the nearby police station.

A case has been registered, and an investigation is under way to track down the gang.