A woman constable from Ashok Vihar, northwest Delhi, successfully used a fake social media profile to lure and arrest Rahul, a fugitive accused of attempted murder.
On April 2, an 18-year-old woman filed a complaint that four men — Sahil, Dinesh, Rahul, and Krishna Jha — had abused and assaulted her uncle, Pradeep, in Ashok Vihar. While intervening, the complainant was hit on the head with the butt of a pistol by Dinesh. In the ensuing chaos, Dinesh allegedly fired at Pradeep, narrowly missing him.
While Sahil, Dinesh, and Krishna were arrested promptly, Rahul evaded capture. A non-bailable warrant was issued against him. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West) Bhisham Singh, Rahul avoided phone communication to escape tracking but remained active on social media.
Police assigned Constable Komal to interact with Rahul using a fake profile. Over ten days, she built his trust through regular chats and video calls. Once Rahul felt confident, Komal arranged a face-to-face meeting in northwest Delhi. When he arrived from Bengaluru, a police team was waiting, and Rahul was arrested on the spot.
The innovative digital sting highlights the evolving methods law enforcement is adopting to capture fugitives who attempt to evade traditional tracking.
