Katihar: In a major breakthrough, Katihar Police have arrested two men for allegedly attempting to extort ₹10 lakh by falsely invoking the name of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The incident took place in Laliahi Shivaji Nagar under the Sahayak Thana area.
Addressing a press conference, SDPO (Sadar) Abhijit Kumar Singh said that a resident of Shivaji Nagar had lodged a complaint on June 18 after receiving a threatening WhatsApp call from an unknown number. The caller demanded ₹10 lakh and threatened to kill the complainant’s family if the money was not paid.
Special Team Cracks the Case
Taking the threat seriously, Katihar Superintendent of Police formed a special investigation team. With the help of the Special Task Force (STF) and technical surveillance, police first arrested Abhimanyu Kumar alias Mannu Kumar from neighbouring Kishanganj district.
During sustained interrogation, Abhimanyu revealed the involvement of his associate Amar Kumar alias Aman Kumar, who was later arrested from Laliahi.
Land Dispute Behind the Threats
Preliminary investigation suggests that the extortion attempt was linked to a land dispute involving the victim. To intensify the threat, the accused used the name of Lawrence Bishnoi — a gangster in organized crime — to instill fear and coerce the victim into paying.
“Amar Kumar and Abhimanyu deliberately used Bishnoi’s name to create fear and make their extortion demand seem credible,” SDPO Singh stated.
Katihar Police have urged the public to report any such threats immediately and assured strict legal action against anyone misusing the names of criminals to extort money or intimidate citizens.
