India, Aug. 18 -- A 19-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh allegedly staged his own kidnapping in Pune and demanded Rs.5 lakh from his family, prompting police in his home town and Pune to launch a search before tracing him to a lodge in Khadki, police said.

The incident was reported on Sunday, and the man was traced in the early hours of Monday.

The accused, Om Prakash Gaurishankar of Jalalpur village in Baberu taluka of Banda district, allegedly hatched the plan after facing financial difficulties. According to the police, he staged the kidnapping to extract money from his elder brother.

Police said Om Prakash informed his family that he had been kidnapped and demanded money for his safe release. To make the claim appear genuine, he alle...