Inspired by a popular web series, two 22-year-old cousins staged a kidnapping and demanded a ransom of Rs 2 lakh from their own family. Police said that the accused, Nadeem and Aftab, are residents of Zakir Nagar and they had snatched a mobile phone from a woman on the same day.

Police said Nadeem worked with his father in a furniture shop but neither did his father let him consume alcohol, nor did he give him any extra money. So, taking cue from the web series “Breathe: Into the Shadows”, they decided to stage a kidnapping and Aftab made a fake ransom call to his father demanding Rs 2 lakh as ransom.

“The matter came to notice on Monday after police received a call from Aftab’s father who informed them that his nephew, Nadeem, had been kidnapped. He also informed them that the kidnapper had demanded Rs 2 lakh as ransom for Nadeem’s release,” said R P Meena, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast district.

“The police team initiated a search and checked CCTVs in the area. We also checked call detail records of Nadeem’s phone and found that he was in constant touch with a female friend. When contacted, his friend told police that Nadeem was with his cousin Aftab,” said the DCP.

During investigation,  the complainant said his son Aftab was also missing, he said.

On checking the CCTVs, it emerged that no such kidnapping had taken place, he added.

Later, police received another call about a woman being robbed of her mobile phone at Jamia Nagar and on examining the CCTVs, it was found that both Aftab and Nadeem were involved in the snatching case, the officer said.

The two men were arrested following raids on Tuesday.