Police in Belagavi have arrested a 33-year-old woman accused of luring men through social media, taking them to lodges, and stealing their belongings in a suspected honey-trap theft racket.
The accused has been identified as Deepa Mahaling Avatagi (33). She is reported to be a native of Mahalingpur in Bagalkot district and to have been residing in Sankeshwar town in Hukkeri taluk.
Her alleged accomplice, Shivanand alias Vinod Shankrayya Matapati, also from Sankeshwar, is currently absconding, and police have launched efforts to trace him.
According to police, the accused and her associate allegedly targeted affluent men in the city. Investigators said the accomplice would identify potential victims either through social media or in public places and share their contact details with the woman. She would then initiate conversations online, gradually building familiarity with the targets and sometimes engaging them in intimate chats before inviting them to meet at lodges in Belagavi.
Explaining the modus operandi, Belagavi City Police Commissioner Bhushan Gulabrao Borase said the woman would ask the victim to freshen up upon arrival at the lodge.
“When the victim entered the bathroom, she allegedly locked the door from outside and escaped with his belongings,” he said.
Police said she would steal items such as mobile phones, cash, and car keys before leaving the lodge. CCTV cameras installed on the premises reportedly captured her entering the lodge and later leaving in a hurry after the theft.
Investigators further said that after fleeing, she allegedly contacted the victim from another phone number, demanding money and threatening to file a police complaint if the demand was not met.
Based on a complaint, a case was registered at the Tilakwadi police station. Acting under the supervision of Inspector Parashuram Pujeri, a police team launched an investigation and arrested the accused. She was later released on station bail.
During the operation, police recovered valuables worth around ₹32.8 lakh from her possession. The seized items include a Toyota Fortuner, a Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, 11 mobile phones, a tablet, a dongle, three car keys, and ₹14,000 in cash.
Police said a case was registered against the accused in May 2025, and another complaint was filed in January 2026.
Authorities have also cautioned people against interacting with unknown individuals on social media or responding to escort-service offers, warning that such meetings could lead to theft or the misuse of private moments through hidden cameras.
Efforts are continuing to trace the absconding accomplice, and further investigation is underway at Tilakwadi police station.
