Robbers use social media to lure man into trap in Mumbai, 3 arrested

Police have arrested three persons in connection with a robbery in the city last month where the victim was lured into a trap through a Facebook friend request by a woman.

The property cell of Mumbai Crime Branch arrested Jabbar Salim Khan (19), Salman Sheikh (37) and Sheikh Shah Shamsuddin (18) in Shivajinagar in suburban Govandi yesterday, a senior police official said.

Hitendra Thakur, the complainant, received a friend request on Facebook from a young woman a month ago.

Thakur accepted the request and the two started chatting online. The woman also sent him her pictures.

On January 16, she said she wanted to meet him and asked him to come to a spot near the Indian Oil Company plant in Govandi.

When Thakur reached there, five-six persons surrounded him and beat him with cricket bat, stumps, sticks and an iron rod.

They took the jewellery and other valuables worth Rs Rs 5.92 lakh which he was carrying, and fled.

A case of robbery was registered with Deonar police, and the Crime Branch started a simultaneous probe, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection) Dilip Sawant.

While three persons were arrested yesterday, police have identified other members of the gang including the woman who lured Thakur through social media, and further probe is on, the DCP said.