Mysore/Mysuru: This incident revives a concerning pattern in the city, where a gang has been active, exclusively targeting elderly individuals operating four-wheel vehicles. In this sinister scheme, motorcycle riders confront senior citizens driving cars, falsely accuse them of causing accidents and then proceed to extort money from them.

This criminal trend came to light with a series of three incidents occurring within a 15-day period in May 2023. In one such troubling incident, criminals focused their attention on a retired Kannada Professor, K.P. Mahadevappa, residing in Kuvempunagar E&F Block on May 26.

They demanded Rs. 30,000 under the pretence of medical expenses, citing an accident that they falsely attributed to the professor. Ultimately, they coerced him into giving them Rs. 1,400. The incident occurred near the Paduvarahalli Traffic Signal Circle.

Just three days before Prof. Mahadevappa was targeted, two-wheeler riders had targeted the car driven by Ramaiah, a retired Director of the Department of Public Instruction and a resident of Kuvempunagar Police Station Road.

The youths forcefully halted his vehicle near Vijaya Bank Circle, subjected him to verbal abuse, falsely claiming that he had collided with their bike. They extorted Rs. 500 from him, but Ramaiah chose not to lodge a formal Police complaint.

Similarly, A. Chandrappa, a retired Professor of Commerce residing on Navilu Road in Kuvempunagar, experienced a similar ordeal in May where money was snatched in the pretence of medical expenses.