Gorakhpur teenager fakes kidnapping using AI images to extort father

A teenager in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh staged his own kidnapping to extort money from his father. The boy reportedly used artificial intelligence-generated images to make the abduction appear authentic.

According to police, the teenager's motive was to fund an online gaming addiction, following losses of nearly Rs 3 lakh in games. The boy sent ransom demands to his father, requesting between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh.

Investigators used CCTV footage and call detail records to locate the teenager in the Sikriganj area within two hours of the report. Police stated that the AI images were prepared with assistance from the boy's girlfriend, who is located in Delhi. The teenager has since been recovered and returned to his family.