A 15-year-old boy was rescued within 24 hours after being abducted for ransom by four young men who allegedly used a fake Instagram profile to lure him, police said on Thursday.
According to officials, the Class 10 student was contacted on Instagram by the accused, who posed as a teenage girl. Over several conversations, they gained his trust and created a false emotional bond. Using this deception, the group convinced the boy to meet them in Nandivali, Kalyan East, located in Maharashtra&rsquo;s Thane district.
Believing he was meeting someone he knew online, the teenager travelled to the location in an app-based cab. Upon arrival, he was allegedly kidnapped by the accused and confined in a room inside a residential building.
The kidnappers later contacted the boy&rsquo;s family and demanded ₹20 lakh as ransom. To strengthen their threat, they reportedly sent a voice message through WhatsApp.
After losing contact with their son, the boy&rsquo;s parents approached the police on December 28. Investigators analysed CCTV footage and technical data to trace the cab that dropped the teenager at the spot and questioned the driver. Based on further leads, police conducted a raid at a room in Nandivali, rescued the boy safely and arrested all four accused within a day of the complaint.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Pradeep Kumar Jaiswal (24), Vishal Pasi (19), Chandan Maurya (19) and Satyam Yadav (19). They have been booked under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to kidnapping and extortion. A court has remanded all four accused to police custody for further investigation.
Police have once again urged parents and students to exercise caution while interacting with strangers on social media platforms.

Fake Instagram profile used to abduct Class 10 boy; four arrested in Thane

Teen Rescued After Instagram Ransom Kidnapping

Fake Instagram profile used to abduct Class 10 boy; four arrested in Thane

January 1, 2026 | 18:29 IST