Bengaluru: A dispute over a second-hand mobile phone purchase escalated into an alleged abduction and assault of a 17-year-old college student.The victim Naveen (name changed), a resident of Doddagollarahatti, is a PU student at a college in the city. According to the complaint filed by Naveen’s mother Subha (name changed), the accused youths had kidnapped her son from a few metres away from their home on March 1. Her son had had earlier purchased a mobile phone from a youth for Rs 8,000. Later, as he was short of money to pay his college fees, her son sold the same phone to a known person named Manoj. Around two months ago, Manoj allegedly informed her and her son that the mobile phone sold to him was linked to a criminal case and that police had seized it from him. Since then, Manoj has been troubling her son. In the same month, Manoj reportedly visited Naveen’s home and created ruckus, accusing Naveen of selling him a stolen device and cheating on him. Subha managed to send him away after offering an explanation that it was not intentional and her son had purchased the phone from another person and he was not aware that it was a stolen one. However, the issue allegedly took a violent turn on March 1, 2026, around 2 pm. According to the complaint, Naveeen was walking along the Pipeline Road in Doddagollarahatti when Manoj, along with his four associates arrived in a car bearing registration number KA-41-MF-9484. The group is accused of forcibly pushing him into the car and taking him to a farmhouse in Ratna Nagar where they abused him, and assaulted him with wooden logs on his hands and legs. The accused also allegedly threatened him with death, warning that they would take his head away by chopping it with a machete if he approached the police. Based on the complaint filed by mother next day, a case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and are investigating and are investigating. The mother took the boy for treatment and then he had to appear for the exam, so they delayed in filing a complaint, police said. Risks in Used Mobile Phone Deals Buying or selling used devices without verifying ownership documents, original invoices, or checking whether the handset is blacklisted or linked to a crime can land unsuspecting individuals in serious trouble. The police are tracking the stolen and lost mobile phone with the help of the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR). We advise citizens especially students and young buyers to exercise caution, insist on proper documentation, and preferably conduct transactions through authorised resale platforms, a senior officer said.
