New Delhi: A man was arrested for allegedly physically exploiting more than 100 minor girls and recording over 350 obscene videos of them in Maharashtra’s Amravati. Some videos went viral, too.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Ayaz, alias Tanveer, a resident of Paratwada, would first allegedly lure girls in a love trap, engage in sexual relations with them, and record videos of the obscene act. He would later use these recordings to blackmail them and force them into prostitution.
According to police, Ayaz would take the girls to Mumbai and Pune and film their videos. Some of these videos were widely circulated on social media platforms such as Instagram and Telegram too.
The incident has sparked a massive outrage among locals and political leaders, leading to demands for an investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). People belonging to the Muslim community also approached the police demanding strict action against the accused, claiming that such people tarnish the community’s reputation.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde submitted a memorandum with the Amravati police alleging that minors were systematically targeted through WhatsApp and Snapchat groups.
Taking swift action in the matter, the police registered a case under the POCSO Act and other relevant sections of the law, and arrested the accused. The police are also investigating the entire network behind this operation to determine how videos on such a massive scale managed to go viral.
Meanwhile, the police gave assurance that strict action will be taken against all culprits and that the identities of the victims will be kept strictly confidential.