Grindr Used in Pune, India Extortion, Man Arrested

PUNE, July 18, 2025 – A 27-year-old man has been arrested in Pune for allegedly using Grindr to target and extort a gay man, raising new concerns about the safety of queer people on dating apps in India.

The suspect, is accused of luring a 23-year-old into a meeting, filming him without consent in intimate settings, and threatening to leak the footage unless he transferred ₹8,000 via digital payment apps.

The incident occurred on July 2 but came to light after the victim courageously filed a police report on July 12. The suspect has been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including for robbery, extortion, and criminal intimidation.

This is the latest in a series of targeted attacks on queer individuals across India using dating platforms like Grindr. Similar cases have recently been reported in cities including Bengaluru, Noida, and Mumbai, where perpetrators use fake profiles to lure, harass, and rob LGBTQ+ people.

Activists are calling for dating apps to do more to protect users, including stronger identity verification and safety tools. Authorities are urging users to be cautious and meet only in public, well-lit places.