A Telugu man of Indian origin was arrested in Santa Fe, the capital city of New Mexico, in the United States, earlier this month during an ‘Online Child Predator Operation.’ Police have since identified the suspect apprehended during the undercover sting operations as 26-year-old Nagaraju Balkam.
The Santa Fe Police Department released the official bodycam footage of his arrest in the first week of March 2026. The clip ultimately went viral in NRI-focussed online communities this past week.
Telugu man’s arrest video from Santa Fe goes viral
The Santa Fe PD originally released the video via its official social media page on March 3, 2026 (US time). It captures cops hiding behind a closed door, awaiting the right time to nab the Indian-origin suspect standing outside. One of the officials is seen peeking through the peephole, while the footage is being captured by a body camera worn one of the other officers.
Moments later, the cops rush out and apprehend them, Balkam, who is seen wearing a light shade hoodie and is carrying a mobile phone with an orange cover. As multiple officers wearing their ‘POLICE’ vest and carrying guns hold the Telugu man to cuff him, one of them asks him whether he can speak English or Spanish.
After handcuffing him, officers escorted Balkam to a room in the vicinity. Asking him to face the wall, they continue frisking him.
According to the Santa Fe Police Dept’s official body cam footage, the arrest happened on February 26, 2026, after 10 pm. In the March 3 Instagram post’s caption, officials wrote Nagaraju Balkam of Santa Fe was arrested for “Sexual Exploitation of Children by Prostitution and Child Solicitation by Electronic Communication Device (Meets with Child).”
Santa Fe police arrest Indian-origin man and others during child predator operation
US reports further confirmed that Nagaraju Balkam (Santa Fe Police Department case #2026001937) wasn’t the only one to be arrested as part of the multi-day operation to combat online sexual predators in Santa Fe. Other suspects apprehended were 59-year-old Eduardo Ramirez, 55-year-old Harold Adams, and 29-year-old Tomas Cacjo.
Each of them now faces child solicitation charges, among other charges, according to KOAT News’ report. Police further disclosed that additional investigations are expected to result in charges against other suspects.
Ramirez (Santa Fe Police Department case #2026001878) was arrested for Child Solicitation by Electronic Device (Meets with Child), and Resisting, Evading, or Obstructing an Officer. Meanwhile, Adams (Santa Fe Police Department case #2026001896) was taken into custody for Child Solicitation by Electronic Communication Device, and Tampering with Evidence, and Cacjo (Santa Fe Police Department case #2026001907) was apprehended for Sexual Exploitation of Children by Prostitution, Child Solicitation by Electronic Communication Device (Meets with child), and Resisting, Evading, or Obstructing an Officer.
The Special Victims Unit (SVU) carried out the arrests as part of a collaborative operation with the assistance of several Santa Fe detectives and police officers. According to KSFR.org, the operation required detectives to use undercover accounts on multiple websites and web-based communication applications.
As a result, undercover detectives ended up communicating directly with offenders. Upon identifying them, authorities later apprehended those who attempted to perpetrate sexual crimes against individuals whom they believed to be children.
