Students turn tables on their blackmailers

Three young men found an easy way of blackmailing some students when they offered the collegians 'cigarettes', video-filmed them as they smoked these, and then demanded money in exchange for not going to the police with the video as proof of drugs consumption. The three are now behind bars, after the victims at first paid up but later gathered their courage and approached the police when the accused kept asking for more money.

The three people arrested were identified by the police as Tushar, Umashankar and Venu, all in their 20's. The police did not reveal the identity of the engineering students who were allegedly blackmailed.

Then the blackmail started. Tushar allegedly managed to get Rs 65,000 and a laptop out of the students by threatening to use the video against them.

"The accused threatened to hand over the video to the police and say that the students were into drugs," KS Layout Police Inspector Babu Norohna said. "The students, who were already indebted to the accused for having arranged paying guest accommodation for them, paid up. But when the accused came once again and asked for more money, the students complained to the police."

Tushar was caught red handed by the KS Layout police on Friday, when he came to collect the money demanded from the students.

Easy prey

The three victims from Laksandra, near Wilson Garden, were doing engineering from Dayanand Sagar College but had to drop out because of poor performance. They met Tushar when they were looking for paying guest accommodation in the Neelasandra area.

Tushar became aware that the students were in money and allegedly hatched the blackmail plan. After the plan was finalised, the police said Tushar's friends Umashankar and Venu called the students over and offered them liquor.

In the course of the party, the students were allegedly offered cigarettes that were likely spiked with illegal substances such as marijuana, and the accused proceeded to make a video of the evening.

"Tushar and his gang managed to extract Rs 65,000 and a laptop from the students. They (the victims) were also asked to sign on a blank piece of paper so that they would keep their silence," Noronha said.

Threats to life

The police said the accused also threatened to kill the students if they approached the police.

The police said the accused soon felt they had asked for too little. They allegedly decided to call the students again, this time demanding Rs 3 lakh.

"But now the students had had enough and had overcome their fears," Noronha said. "They informed the KS Layout police about what was happening."

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