Religious recital used as cover in Bhopal hostage robbery of IAS coach; ex-student among six held

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like What looked like a routine business visit turned into a tightly orchestrated extortion plot where noise, timing and familiarity were used as tools. A Delhi-based IAS coaching director was allegedly lured to Bhopal, confined in a rented flat and forced to transfer ₹1.89 crore, with the accused even organising a Sundarkand recital to mask her calls for help, as per police statements. Bhopal hostage robbery: The accused men cleverly used a religious recital as cover to execute their plan. (shubhraranjan.com)How the crime unfoldedPolice said the plan hinged on trust and misdirection. Priyank Sharma, identified as the main conspirator and a former student associated with the academy, invited the director, Shubhra Ranjan, to the city on April 29 on the pretext of expanding operations and holding a seminar, reported news agency PTI. She was picked up from her hotel and taken to a flat in Bagsewaniya, which had allegedly been rented just a day earlier for the crime, stated a separate report by NDTV. ALSO READ | Jharkhand bank robbery cracked, interstate gang’s alleged kingpin held in Varanasi Once inside, armed accomplices were already in place. The victim was threatened at gunpoint and coerced into transferring ₹1.89 crore into multiple bank accounts, police said. The accused used pistols and country-made firearms, and even staged intimidation tactics, including forcing the recording of a video to deter her from approaching authorities. Officers said the unusual element in the execution was the use of a religious gathering as acoustic cover. A Sundarkand recital was organised at the flat specifically to drown out any noise from inside, ensuring neighbours would not suspect anything, the PTI report noted. ALSO READ | 4 of family held hostage, robbed by new domestic help in Delhi’s Golf Links The accused allegedly drew associates from places like Datia and Rewa to carry out the operation, indicating that this was a premeditated plan. Sharma believed the victim had significant financial resources and thus planned the crime accordingly, the NDTV report stated. After the incident, the victim approached police on April 30, prompting immediate action. Authorities froze the recipient bank accounts to prevent the money from being withdrawn and began tracking the suspects using technical evidence. ALSO READ | Goldy Brar’s father gets bail in ₹50-lakh extortion case In a dramatic turn, Sharma attempted to evade arrest by admitting himself to AIIMS Bhopal citing illness, but was apprehended from the hospital after doctors confirmed his condition was stable, police said. Officials added that his family created a commotion during the arrest. Police teams led by Commissioner Sanjay Kumar and Additional Commissioner Monica Shukla conducted multiple raids and arrested six accused, including Sharma, from different locations. The others have been identified as Rohit Malviya, Deepak Bhagat, Vikas alias Vicky Dahiya, Kunal Yadav and Pankaj Ahirwar, while one accused remains absconding and another person’s role is under investigation. Authorities said the weapon used in the crime, along with other materials, has been recovered, and efforts are underway to return the frozen funds to the victim. Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More