Boy stages his own kidnapping in UP to buy iPhone

• Class 9 student staged his own kidnapping in Sitapur to buy an iPhone for the ransom he planned to collect from his father
• The boy used his friend's phone to make a ransom call demanding Rs 5 lakh from his father
• The boy was handed over to his father after consultation

A class 9 student staged his own kidnapping in Sitapur to buy an iPhone for the ransom he planned to collect from his father. He made the move after his father, who owns a small clothing store, expressed that he could not buy him a phone.

However, the minor was out of luck once the police started investigating the case and traced his location to his friend's house. The boy used his friend's phone to make a ransom call demanding Rs 5 lakh from his father. Sitapur kotwali SHO TP Singh said the boy was studying in a government school and was living with his father as his mother died when he was just one.

"When the student did not return home after classes on Wednesday, his father and other relatives launched a search. Later, around 8.30 pm, they received a call for a ransom of Rs 5 lakh through WhatsApp. The amount had to be delivered to Khairabad near the mosque," Singh said.

After the father informed the police, the police, cyber and SOG teams of the district got involved in the case. “We assured the complainant about the rescue of his son and a civil team was attached to him as he collected the amount for the safe release of his son,” the SHO said.

By 11:00 p.m., the police had located the mobile phone used for the ransom. When the owner of the mobile phone, a shoe shop owner, was interrogated, it was revealed that the phone was being used by his son, who was also a 9th grader.

"The policewoman was asked to confront the Class 9 student who had spilt the beans. Later, another team traced the missing child from his house," the SHO said.

The boy was handed over to his father after consultation.