Pune: Student Who Jumped from Pimpri-Chinchwad Metro Station Was Blackmailed by People He Met on LGBTQ Dating App

Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Pimpri Chinchwad, 17th March 2025: A 21-year-old student died by suicide after jumping from Sant Tukaram Nagar Metro Station on 24th February. Initially, it was believed that financial hardships at home were the cause. However, in a shocking revelation, Pimpri Chinchwad Police have discovered that the deceased was being blackmailed over nude photos and videos by individuals he met through a mobile dating application meant for relationship matchmaking within the LGBTQ community.

Shockingly, all those named in the case are students of DY Patil College in Pimpri, just like the deceased. Two people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The victim, Sujal Sunil Mankar (21) died by suicide, and his father, Sunil Mankar (47), filed a complaint at Pimpri Police Station.

Pimpri Police have registered a case of abetment of suicide and other charges against Pranav Kishore Shinde, Nitin Patil, Lopesh Patil, Sandeep Rokade, Akash Choure, and Prathamesh Jadhav. Among them, Prathamesh Jadhav and Lopesh Patil have been arrested.

According to Police Reports, On 24th February, around 6 PM, Mankar jumped from a duct at Sant Tukaram Nagar Metro Station, landing on the old Mumbai-Pune Highway, where multiple vehicles reportedly collided with him. He succumbed to his injuries a few hours later. Initially, police suspected financial struggles to be the reason, based on information from friends. However, an investigation led by Police Sub-Inspector Chiranjeev Dalalwad, under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Ashok Kadlag, revealed a more sinister cause.

It was discovered that Mankar had installed the Grindr application, a popular dating app for the LGBTQ community that facilitates location-based connections, chat, photo sharing, and networking. Through this app, he came into contact with six of his lesser-known college acquaintances. The group invited him to Mahesh Nagar in Pimpri, where they coerced him into providing nude photos and videos. They then demanded Rs 50,000, threatening to leak the content on social media. Mankar managed to pay Rs 35,500, but the harassment continued for the remaining amount.

Overwhelmed by the constant threats and blackmail, Sujal Mankar ultimately took his own life by jumping from Sant Tukaram Nagar Metro Station. After learning the truth, his father filed a complaint at Pimpri Police Station. Pimpri Police have since arrested two individuals, and PSI Dalalwad is continuing the investigation.