The Bengaluru police said Tuesday they have arrested two men for allegedly threatening a woman they had befriended on social media and coercing her into handing over cash and gold jewellery. The police said they have recovered 571 grams of gold ornaments worth Rs 85.65 lakh from two banks and a jewellery shop in Hyderabad.According to the complainant, who lives within the K R Puram police station limits, she had been in touch with one of the accused, Mahesh, for about one-and-a-half years after meeting him online. What began as a friendship later turned coercive, with the accused allegedly pressuring her to provide gold and cash, citing financial troubles.Investigators said Mahesh, along with his accomplice Swamy Vishwanath, gradually forced the victim to hand over gold in small amounts. “When the victim asked for her jewellery to be returned, the accused refused and continued to exert pressure on her,” a senior police officer said.Sources said the accused also documented the woman’s private moments and allegedly threatened to release screenshots and videos to extort more money and gold.Acting on leads, the police arrested Mahesh on March 3 from Kondur village in Nizamabad, Telangana, during which he allegedly confessed to the crime and revealed his accomplice’s involvement. Vishwanath was subsequently apprehended on March 19 in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. He, too, confessed to the crime.Further investigations revealed that the stolen gold had been pledged at two banks and a jewellery shop in Hyderabad, and that the jewellery was recovered between March 20 and March 23. The police said the accused used the money for online gambling and personal expenses.Both accused have been remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation is underway.