Chennai man robbed of gold, silver after dating app meetup turns ugly in MKB Nagar
According to the police complaint filed by Manoj, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening while his parents were away in Bengaluru
CHENNAI: A meetup via dating app Grindr turned out to be a horror that may haunt Manoj (name changed) for a long time. The 24-year-old’s date allegedly tied him up and robbed him of gold and silver valuables worth lakhs at his residence in MKB Nagar.
According to the police complaint filed by Manoj, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening while his parents were away in Bengaluru. Manoj claimed he had invited a man he met on Grindr, a dating app for the LGBTQs, over to his house.
An hour later, three persons — two men and a woman — arrived at his residence in an autorickshaw. They chatted for a while and then the trio allegedly restrained him with ropes and looted 250 grams of gold jewellery (approximately 30 sovereigns) and 4 kg silver articles from a cupboard and fled.
Manoj reportedly managed to free himself from the knots after 30 minutes of struggle and alerted the MKB Nagar police. Officers examined the CCTV footage from the area, confirming the arrival and departure of the suspects in an auto. A search operation is underway to trace the accused who have not been identified yet.
“The suspects exploited the victim’s vulnerability. We are analysing digital footprints from the Grindr app and following other leads,” a police official disclosed.
However, investigators noted inconsistencies in Manoj's statements during interrogation, prompting further scrutiny. “His version of events has changed multiple times, raising questions. We are verifying all angles, including the possibility of personal disputes or staged crime,” the official added.
Manoj's father, a cloth shop owner in MKB Nagar, confirmed that the family was in Bengaluru when the robbery took place.
The MKB Nagar police have registered a case under relevant IPC sections for robbery, wrongful restraint, and criminal intimidation.
