Archive · 22 Jan 2026
Gang Arrested for Robbing Gay Dating App Users
A group of five men in Pune, India, were arrested for robbing three men who were using a dating app for gay people.
The robbers would contact the victims through the app, meet them, and then steal their phones, jewelry, and money.
They even used a big knife to scare the victims.
The victims were afraid to tell the police at first because they didn't want their families to know they were using the dating app.
The police found out about the robberies and caught the men.
They also found out that the robbers had done this to other people before.
The police are telling everyone to be careful when using dating apps and to tell the police if something bad happens.
A gang of five men targeted and robbed three men using the gay dating app Grindr in Pune, India.
The victims were threatened with a machete and had their phones, jewelry, and cash stolen, with one victim losing Rs 10,500 from his ATM.
The accused believed victims wouldn't report due to fear of being outed, leading to delayed FIRs.
Police arrested the gang based on CCTV footage and investigation of the accused's phone numbers.
The accused have been remanded to police custody until January 23, 2024, with further investigation ongoing.
- Who
- A gang of five men, including Rahil Akil Shaikh, Nuhan Naeem Shaikh, Wahid Dastagir Shaikh, Shahid Shahnoor Momin, and Ishan Nisar Shaikh
- What
- Robbed men using the gay dating app Grindr
- When
- Between December 28, 2023, and January 11, 2024
- Where
- Pune, India (Kondhwa, Katraj, Swargate, Pansare Nagar, Kausar Baug, Pisoli)
- Why
- To steal valuables, believing victims wouldn't report due to fear of being outed
- Accused Persons
- Rahil Akil Shaikh, Nuhan Naeem Shaikh, Wahid Dastagir Shaikh, Shahid Shahnoor Momin, Ishan Nisar Shaikh
- Victims
- Three men aged 27, 24, and 32
- Crime Tool
- Grindr dating app
- Weapons Used
- Machete (koyta)
- Items Stolen
- Cell phones, gold jewelry, cash, ATM cards
- Arrest Date
- January 20, 2024
- Police Custody
- Until January 23, 2024
- Previous Criminal Record
- Ishan Shaikh has a record including MCOCA case