A 23-year-old Bengaluru mechanic’s one-sided infatuation with a 19-year-old pursuing chartered accountancy (CA) in the city led to her kidnapping and his subsequent arrest—within 12 hours—the police said. The police identified the accused as C Ranga and said that he and four others—auto driver B Rajesh, 26, sari shop assistant K Chandan alias Gunda, 23, printer shop worker S Shreyas, 30, and steel shop assistant P Manju, 20—all residents of Bengaluru, were arrested on Saturday. A police officer said that the woman is a CA student at a private college. “Several months ago, she visited a two-wheeler showroom in Chikkakallasandra to service her newly purchased scooter. Ranga, who worked there as a mechanic, initially befriended her. Later, he developed romantic feelings towards her. While she rejected his advances, she maintained cordial relations, treating him as a friend,” the officer added. Ranga, who had discontinued his studies after Class 10, allegedly wanted to marry the woman and frequently visited her residence to speak to her family. But, they discouraged his advances. According to the First Information Report, around 5 pm on October 8, the woman was having tea with her mother when the accused burst into their home. They allegedly forcibly dragged her away while attacking her mother with weapons when she intervened. As the mother watched from the doorway, the woman was allegedly bundled into an autorickshaw driven by Ranga, while his accomplices followed on motorcycles. Immediately, the mother contacted the police control room, and a police team from the Subramanyanapura police station arrived by 6 pm. Deputy Commissioner of Police Anita B Haddannavar formed two teams, one focusing on technical investigation and the other on conducting manual searches. The police traced Ranga’s residential address in Srinagar, but he had already fled. Meanwhile, officers detained several associates who, under questioning, allegedly revealed crucial information about Ranga’s plans. By 2 am, investigators discovered Ranga had taken the woman on a bus to Hosur, Tamil Nadu. A police team rushed to the location, reaching Hosur bus stand before 5 am. They allegedly found Ranga attempting to convince the woman while she resisted his advances. The police investigation has revealed that Ranga was previously arrested in a murder case and spent over six months in jail before securing bail. That case is pending in court.
