Lucknow:

A famous city-based progressive writer and poet, Naresh Saxena, was kept under digital arrest in his room for six long hours by cyberheist operators posing as CBI officers in Lucknow, police officials said.

The scammers, who aimed to con the elderly writer by frightening him with arrest in a money-laundering case, listened to his poetry for hours, even asking him to recite couplets of Mirza Ghalib and Faiz and praising his poems a lot.

Luckily, after six hours of this ‘digital house arrest’ through a video call, alarmed family members intervened and the cyber thugs failed to pull off the crime.

The writer later filed a complaint at Gomti Nagar police station.

As per reports, on July 7, at 3 pm, the writer was about to leave for a poetic session when he got a video call on his mobile phone. The man on the other side asked the writer if he had lost his Aadhar card.

“He then informed me that someone had opened an account in Mumbai using it, a money laundering case of crores had taken place through it and a case had been registered in a Mumbai police station. Then he introduced himself as CBI Inspector Rohan Sharma and said that an arrest warrant had been issued against me. But as I was an elderly person and seemed to be a good man, he would try to get me released soon if I cooperated in the investigation. Otherwise, I might face a long jail term,” Mr Saxena said.

The man then also verified the writer’s Aadhar card and asked questions pertaining to the number of bank accounts he had, the amount of money in them, the number of transactions, investments, income and income tax returns.

“I was able to see the man’s police uniform and a cap, which convinced me,” Mr Saxena added.

“As soon as he saw my room full of books, to ensure that I was the right person and the same poet he had called, he asked me to prove myself by reciting poetry. He asked me to recite the couplets of Mirza Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. He even asked me to recite my own poems, which I did. He listened to my poems for a long time and even praised me a lot,” the writer said, adding that all this went on for six hours.

The video call session started at 3 p.m. and went on till 7-8 p.m.

The conman then told him that the CBI Chief of Mumbai would talk to him.

To convince Mr Saxena further, he told the ‘chief’ (perhaps his cohort) that Mr Saxena was a very good man and the ‘chief’ should also listen to his poems. He should be investigated on priority and be let off within 24 hours.

“The ‘chief’ said that since I was cooperating in the investigation, he would get me released within 24 hours and told me that I was currently under house arrest,” said Mr Saxena.

The men then told him to close the door of his room and not inform his family members while remaining in front of them on the video call, said the writer. But when Mr Saxena did not open his door for a long time, the family was alarmed.

Sensing that he was being tricked through a cyber fraud, his daughter-in-law snatched the phone and disconnected the call.

The matter is now under investigation, said an official of the Gomti Nagar police station.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Lucknow:

A case has been lodged against unidentified persons at Sushant Golf City police station under relevant sections after a video showed more than 20 cars blocking a road for a birthday celebration, the police said.

The police intervened after a video clip of the incident went viral on Thursday.

In the viral footage, 20 cars were seen parked along the service road with Ekana Stadium in the background.

लखनऊ – बीचों बीच रोड की गाड़ियां खड़ी कर जन्मदिन मनाया

मामले का वीडियो सोशल मीडिया में हुआ वायरल
यातायात नियम को ताख पर रखकर युवकों का कारनामा
थाना सुशांत गोल्फ सिटी क्षेत्र के ऐकाना स्टेडियम की घटना#Lucknow | #ViralNews | #BreakingNews | #LatestNewsUpdates | @lkopolicepic.twitter.com/GTQwEgn7A8

— अमरेन्द्र पटेल बाहुबली (@amrendra566) May 30, 2024

“The viral video depicts 20-25 cars parked in a service lane between two prominent malls on Shaheed Path. It came to the police’s attention that these individuals were celebrating a birthday party,” said Shashank Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), South.

He added an FIR has been lodged against unidentified individuals at the Sushant Golf City police station under relevant sections.

“Some individuals have been identified by the police using the vehicle’s number plates, while efforts are underway to identify the others,” he added.

ADCP Singh said the FIR had been filed under IPC Section 283 (obstruction of public way), violation of the Motor Vehicle Act, and violation of regulations regarding assembly of more than five persons.

सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल वीडियो जिसमें थाना सुशान्त गोल्फ सिटी क्षेत्रान्तर्गत लगभग 20 से अधिक गाड़ियो द्वारा रास्ता ब्लॉक करके वीडियो बनाने के सम्बन्ध में #ADCP_SOUTH द्वारा दी गई बाइट।#UPPolice#Lkopolice_On_Dutypic.twitter.com/D20f6HZmWE

— LUCKNOW POLICE (@lkopolice) May 30, 2024

Police teams are conducting raids in residences located in Aashiana and old city areas.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Creating reels has become a daily routine for many. Whether it’s dancing, modelling or any other type of video, people on the internet are always game for anything and everything, consistently making headlines. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more bizarre, a video has emerged online, going viral, and leaving social media users outraged. In the video, a woman is seen dancing in the middle of the road while displaying a pistol in her hands. The clip, featuring popular YouTuber Simran Yadav, was reportedly shot on a highway in Lucknow. It caught the attention of Lucknow Police as well, who took notice of the same and took prompt action.

The video posted on X by user Advocate Kalyanji Chaudhary shows the influencer dancing to a Bhojpuri song in the middle of a street, while boldly brandishing a gun in her hands. “Instagram star Simran Yadav of Lucknow is openly flouting the law and code of conduct by waving a pistol on the highway and making a video viral to show off her community’s power in the society, but the officials are maintaining silence,” the X user wrote while tagging the authorities. 

Take a look below: 

instagram star सिमरन यादव लखनऊ सरेआम नियम कानून व आचार संहिता की धज्जियाँ उड़ाते हुए highway पर पिस्टल को लहराकर video वायरल करके समाज में अपनी बिरादरी का रौब जमा रहीं हैं परंतु अधिकारी चुप्पी साधे हुए है l @dgpup@ECISVEEP@Splucknow_rural@Igrangelucknow@adgzonelucknow@myogipic.twitter.com/GN4zWsc1P9

— Advocate kalyanji Chaudhary (@DeewaneHindust1) May 9, 2024

As soon as the video went viral, Lucknow Police reacted saying that an investigation over the matter has been instructed to the concerned authorities. “The concerned have been directed to take necessary action,” read the comment by the Lucknow Police. 

संबधिंत को आवश्यक कार्यवाही हेतु निर्देशित किया गया है।

— LUCKNOW POLICE (@lkopolice) May 9, 2024

Meanwhile, the video has left internet users fuming. Reacting to the clip, social media users expressed anger and urged authorities to take action immediately. “Why is she showing a gun and all so casually in the middle of the street with people around?” And sharing the same on the internet with such a massive following is simply not acceptable,” commented one user. “I hope the authorities will take some kind of action against her reel. This is not corrected,” expressed another. 

Simran Yadav has over 2.2 million followers on Instagram and over 1.8 million subscribers on YouTube.  

Lucknow:

A man allegedly strangled his wife and two children and kept them inside the house for almost two days, police on Sunday said.

Police arrested Ramlagan Gautam on Sunday on charges of killing his wife Jyoti, 30, and children Payal and Anand, aged six and three.

DCP (South) Tej Swaroop Singh told reporters that Ramlagan Gautam, a native of Balrampur district, lived in a rented house in an area under the Bijnaur Police Station jurisdiction.

He said the murders were detected Sunday afternoon, when the house’s owner, one Dhirendra Kumar, who lived nearby, visited it.

“There was a foul smell emanating from the house. The landlord immediately went outside Ramlagan’s room on the first floor. When he peeped inside through a window, he saw Jyoti’s body lying on the ground. He immediately informed the police,” said Singh.

According to a preliminary investigation, Gautam killed his wife and children on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, he said.

Police have sent the bodies for post mortem examination. They are yet to ascertain the motive behind the killings.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh):

Akhilesh’s wife Sheela Singh Chauhan and son Suraj Chauhan expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath when they met him at his official residence on Friday regarding the safe rescue of Akhilesh who was abducted.

Akhilesh Singh Chauhan (49), hailing from Beniganj, Kursi Road, Lucknow, and employed in a construction company in the South Garo Hills of Meghalaya, was abducted by two kidnappers who demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh for his release.

The relentless efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath yielded swift results as Akhilesh Singh Chauhan was safely rescued within a day.

The Chief Minister assured Akhilesh’s family of all possible support.

After the matter came to light, CM Yogi spoke with Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma on Thursday evening and urged for the release of Akhilesh.

Following this, Meghalaya Police took action and successfully rescued Akhilesh from the jungle of South Garo Hills (Baghmara district) and also arrested two kidnappers.

On Thursday evening, CM Yogi requested Sangma for the safe return of Akhilesh Singh.

After the kidnapping of Akhilesh Singh (49) in the South Garo Hills of Meghalaya, the contractor called Akhilesh’s wife, Sheela Singh and informed her about the incident.

Expressing fear of something untoward happening to her husband, Sheela Singh has appealed to the Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya governments for help.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)