BENGALURU — A 27-year-old civil engineer in Bengaluru became the victim of a violent premeditated ambush after being lured into a robbery trap via a popular dating application. The victim was stabbed multiple times and held captive by four men who forced him to surrender his financial credentials.

What began as a routine interaction on a dating app quickly spiraled into a nightmare for the young professional. After connecting with an individual on a platform, the engineer was invited to meet at a specific location in the city. Upon arrival, however, he was not met by his date but was instead surrounded by a group of four men. The assailants reportedly acted with sudden and extreme aggression, producing weapons and stabbing the engineer multiple times during the struggle.

The primary motive of the attackers appeared to be financial gain, utilizing physical torture to gain access to the victim's digital accounts. While the victim was bleeding from several stab wounds, the attackers held him at knifepoint and forced him to reveal his UPI password. With access to his phone and PIN, the group successfully transferred a significant amount of funds from the victim's bank account before fleeing the scene. The injured engineer was left at the site of the attack, eventually managing to seek help and receive medical attention for his wounds.

This incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, raising urgent questions about the safety of digital dating platforms. Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the robbery and attempted murder, utilizing digital footprints from the dating app to track the suspects.

Investigators believe the gang specifically targeted the victim due to his background as a civil engineer, assuming he would have significant funds accessible via mobile banking. Consequently, police have issued a warning to residents to exercise extreme caution when meeting individuals from dating apps, advising meet-ups only in well-lit, highly populated public spaces.

The brutal nature of the attack serves as a grim reminder of the risks associated with "honey-trapping" schemes that are increasingly targeting young professionals in urban hubs.