Lucknow: A 57-year-old station house officer (SHO) posted in Basti allegedly died by suicide after being honey-trapped and subjected to sustained blackmail by a woman and her associates, police said on Sunday.Following the death, police on Sunday arrested three persons — Priyanka Chaudhary (32), her father Ramnayan Chaudhary (58) and lawyer Vijay Prakash — and sent them to judicial custody.Police claimed that the accused had demanded ₹1 crore from the victim Suryaprakash Singh, SHO of Walterganj police station, shortly before his death.A native of Bhilampur Chhapra village in Azamgarh, Singh had around four years left before retirement. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.Singh was transferred to Basti from Siddharthnagar and was initially attached to the police lines before taking charge as Walterganj SHO on April 18, 2026.On Aug 29, Singh was found hanging at his govt accommodation near the district collectorate. Hours before his death, he had posted a WhatsApp status that read: “Wealth and property are necessary, but nothing is greater than peace and love.”According to DIG Sanjeev Tyagi, the arrests were made after questioning family members, analysing call detail records (CDRs) and surveillance. Investigators found that Singh had been in regular contact with the three accused.Police alleged that Priyanka, a resident of Gandhar village in the Walterganj area, had approached Singh in connection with a case she had filed against her husband. During the inquiry, the two became acquainted and later developed a close relationship.Police claim Priyanka allegedly targeted financially well-off individuals, building relationships with them before recording audio conversations, video calls and other personal interactions.The material was then used to extort money.Police said she would sometimes make video calls showing herself apparently cutting her wrist to intimidate victims and coerce them into complying with her demands.According to investigators, lawyer Vijay Prakash played a key role in collecting money allegedly obtained through blackmail, while Ramnayan Chaudhary assisted in the operation. Police suspect the proceeds were shared among the trio.An SUV and three mobile phones have been recovered from the accused. Police also claim the trio had extorted nearly ₹24 lakh from at least three other individuals.Police said on Aug 29, the day Singh died, Vijay Prakash allegedly called him at around 1:41 pm and demanded ₹1 crore. Unable to arrange the amount, Singh allegedly took the extreme step.Singh’s son, Sandeep, has demanded strict punishment for those responsible.Police are now probing the full extent of the racket.
