A 16-year-old Class 11 student in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur allegedly staged his own kidnapping after losing nearly ₹3 lakh in online games and used an AI-generated image to convince his father that he had been abducted, police said.

According to PTI, the teenager allegedly sought the help of his Delhi-based girlfriend to fabricate the kidnapping. They used artificial intelligence to create an image showing the boy with blood smeared across his face and tape over his mouth, making it appear that he had been assaulted and held captive.

Teen sends AI-generated kidnapping photo to father

The student reportedly sent the AI-generated photograph to his father on WhatsApp along with a ransom demand of ₹1 lakh. The message allegedly threatened that he would be killed if the money was not transferred.

When his father said he could not arrange the amount, the teenager allegedly increased the demand to ₹2 lakh and instructed him to bring the money in cash.

Fearing for his son’s safety, the father approached the police, prompting an investigation into the alleged kidnapping.

Police trace teenager through mobile phone

Police said the teenager had borrowed money from friends and others to fund his online gaming activities. He allegedly accumulated debts of nearly ₹3 lakh and resorted to the fake kidnapping after people began demanding repayment.

The boy reportedly left his home on Tuesday evening, telling his family that he was going to Sikriganj. He then switched his phone to flight mode.

Police, however, were able to track the device after it was connected to a friend’s Wi-Fi network. The mobile number was placed under surveillance and its location was traced to Sikriganj.

A police team reached the area at around 2 am and found the teenager at a friend’s house, effectively bringing the alleged kidnapping drama to an end.

Student admits staging fake abduction

During questioning, the teenager allegedly admitted that he had fabricated the kidnapping story to obtain money from his family and repay debts accumulated through online gaming.

Additional SP South Dinesh Kumar Puri said on Wednesday evening that the student confessed to staging his own abduction.

Police are now investigating whether other individuals, including the teenager’s girlfriend and friends, were involved in helping him execute the plan.

The incident also highlights a growing concern around the misuse of artificial intelligence to create convincing but fabricated images. In this case, the AI-generated photograph was allegedly used to support a false kidnapping claim and pressure a family into paying ransom.

As AI-generated images become increasingly realistic and accessible, law enforcement agencies and families face new challenges in distinguishing genuine photographs from digitally fabricated evidence.