A 19-year-old youth allegedly tried to stage his fake kidnapping as he did not want to accompany his friends to Leh for work, police said on Wednesday.

The police acted on a complaint filed on social media by his friend and traced the youth from Keshopur Sabzi Mandi area here, they added.

The police said that Suraj, along with his friends Vimlesh Shah and Golu, came to Delhi from Champaran in Bihar.

“Suraj told police that he along with his friends was going to Leh as they heard about higher wages there,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) KPS Malhotra.

The group was about to leave for Leh from New Delhi railway station, Malhotra said.

“Suraj got scared when his friends Golu and Vimlesh Shah started discussing about the freezing weather of Leh. So he slipped away by giving an excuse to attend nature’s call,” the DCP said.

The youth then reached Keshopur Mandi and texted his brother that he has been kidnapped. He then asked him to send Rs 5,000 as ransom to get him released, he said.

Suraj’s brother then called Shah and informed about the messages, he added.

“Shah immediately informed the police through social media and we contacted him,” the DCP said.

“We had received a complaint on X in which Delhi Police was tagged. The social media cell forwarded the message to GRP railway for necessary action. A team was immediately formed and a rescue operation was launched after registering an FIR of kidnapping,” the officer said.

The police said a team traced Suraj from Keshopur Sabzi Mandi area and he is being questioned.

They added that legal action will be taken upon further probe.