Bengaluru kidnapping: Rajasthan gang flees through city, hits 35 cars
Synopsis
A love marriage against family wishes ended in a reckless nine-kilometre car chase through Bengaluru, with an alleged Rajasthan kidnap gang ramming over 35 cars and 100 two-wheelers — and a paternal aunt reportedly the one who hired them. Six people are hospitalised, one in the ICU, while the alleged driver is still at large.
Key Takeaways
Magadi Road Police registered an FIR on 17 September under BNS Sections 137, 61, and 110 .
Victim Pooja, 21 , was allegedly abducted from Agrahara Dasarahalli by four men from Rajasthan hired by her paternal aunt.
The fleeing vehicle struck more than 35 cars and over 100 two-wheelers during a nine-kilometre chase before being intercepted at Vijayanagar Hoshalli .
Six people were injured; Jayalakshmi, 57 , is in the ICU with a head injury.
Three accused — Rakesh, 31 , Karan, 35 , and Ayan, 18 — are in custody; alleged driver Saddam is absconding.
Preliminary investigation reportedly points to Pooja's paternal aunt as the alleged mastermind who arranged the kidnapping.
Magadi Road Police in Bengaluru registered an FIR on Thursday, 17 September in connection with the alleged abduction of Pooja, a 21-year-old married woman from Agrahara Dasarahalli, by a group of individuals from Rajasthan. The case has triggered a chaotic nine-kilometre vehicle chase through the city that left six people injured and damaged more than 35 cars and over 100 two-wheelers.
Background to the Alleged Kidnapping
Pooja, a resident of Melwas village in Rajasthan and daughter of Gunaramu, had entered into a love marriage roughly eight to nine months ago with Om Prakash, 23, son of Shesh Ram, against the wishes of both families. The couple had subsequently relocated to Bengaluru and were residing in the Agrahara Dasarahalli locality.
According to police, unable to accept the union, Pooja's family allegedly arranged for four persons to travel to Bengaluru and forcibly bring her back. The accused allegedly abducted Pooja from her residence and fled in a Hyundai Venue car.
The Nine-Kilometre Chase and Its Aftermath
Local residents who witnessed the abduction reportedly gave chase. In a bid to escape at around 8 pm on Wednesday, the accused allegedly drove the vehicle recklessly, striking more than 35 cars and over 100 two-wheelers over the course of the pursuit. The chase stretched approximately nine kilometres before members of the public managed to intercept the car at 4th Cross Road in Vijayanagar Hoshalli.
An enraged crowd allegedly pelted the vehicle with stones and dragged three of the occupants out, assaulting them before handing them over to the Vijayanagar Police. The incident underscores the risks of mob justice in high-tension pursuit situations — a pattern seen in several similar incidents across Indian cities in recent years.
Injured in the Accidents
Six people sustained injuries during the vehicle rampage. They have been identified as Prithviraj, 12, Yashika, 9, Amul, 35, Mani, 64, Jayalakshmi, 57, and Santosh, 33. Jayalakshmi suffered a head injury and is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU. The remaining five are also receiving medical attention.
Accused in Custody; One Absconding
Three individuals have been arrested and identified as Rakesh, 31, Karan, 35, and Ayan, 18, all from Rajasthan. The alleged driver, Saddam, managed to flee and remains at large; police say a search operation is ongoing to trace him.
The case has been registered under Sections 137, 61, and 110 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The vehicle used in the alleged abduction and the three arrested accused are currently in police custody.
Paternal Aunt Allegedly Masterminded the Abduction
Preliminary questioning has reportedly revealed that Pooja's paternal aunt allegedly hired the four men to carry out the abduction. Investigators say the aunt had maintained contact with Pooja after her marriage and had allegedly obtained her address only recently. Police are continuing their probe to establish the full chain of responsibility and ascertain whether additional individuals were involved.
The investigation remains active, with authorities likely to seek custodial remand to unravel the wider conspiracy, even as the family of Om Prakash and civil society groups are expected to demand swift justice.
Point of View
The persistence of family-driven coercion against adult couples who exercise their legal right to choose a partner — a phenomenon that law enforcement repeatedly encounters but rarely addresses at the source. Second, the nine-kilometre rampage through residential Bengaluru, injuring six bystanders including a nine-year-old and a twelve-year-old, raises serious questions about whether police pursuit protocols are equipped to contain fleeing suspects without collateral civilian harm. The alleged mastermind being a family member who patiently tracked the couple's address over months signals a premeditated, organised operation — not a spontaneous family dispute. Unless the alleged driver Saddam is apprehended and the aunt is prosecuted alongside the hired accomplices, the case risks being treated as a localised law-and-order incident rather than the targeted suppression of a legal marriage that it reportedly was.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Bengaluru kidnapping case on 17 September?
A 21-year-old married woman, Pooja, was allegedly abducted from her residence in Agrahara Dasarahalli, Bengaluru, by four men from Rajasthan who were reportedly hired by her paternal aunt. The accused fled in a Hyundai Venue, sparking a nine-kilometre public chase that injured six bystanders and damaged over 35 cars and 100 two-wheelers.
Why was Pooja allegedly kidnapped?
According to police, Pooja had married Om Prakash, 23, in a love marriage about eight to nine months ago, against the wishes of both families. Her family allegedly refused to accept the union and reportedly hired four men to bring her back forcibly from Bengaluru.
Who has been arrested and who is still at large?
Three accused — Rakesh, 31, Karan, 35, and Ayan, 18, all from Rajasthan — have been arrested and are in police custody. The alleged driver, Saddam, managed to escape and remains absconding; police have launched a search operation to trace him.
How many people were injured in the car chase?
Six people were injured when the accused drove recklessly through Bengaluru to escape. They are Prithviraj (12), Yashika (9), Amul (35), Mani (64), Jayalakshmi (57), and Santosh (33). Jayalakshmi sustained a head injury and is in the ICU; the others are undergoing treatment.
What charges have been filed in the case?
The FIR was registered by Magadi Road Police under Sections 137, 61, and 110 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police are continuing their investigation to determine the full role of all accused, including Pooja's paternal aunt who allegedly masterminded the abduction.
