Girl Sexually Assaulted By Man Who Befriended Her Online Posing As Woman

A 15-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a youth in Latur district of Maharashtra who posed as a 'woman' on social media to befriend her and later threatened to leak her photos if she doesn't accept him as her boyfriend, police said on Wednesday.

The prime accused and his two accomplices were arrested on Tuesday from Janwal village while their 17-year-old friend was sent to remand home.

Police registered a case against them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under charges of rape and assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

A police officer said the prime accused befriended the girl on Instagram by faking his identity and posing as a woman.

"He later asked the unsuspecting girl to meet at a spot. When the girl reached the spot on Ausa Road, she was surprised to find a boy waiting there, but they talked for a while. Meanwhile, he clicked photos of the girl on his mobile phone.

"He then threatened her to either accept him as her boyfriend or else he will release her photos on social media. He then sexually assaulted her at a spot," a police officer said.

The girl approached the police and narrated her ordeal.

"The arrested trio was produced in a court which remanded them in police custody till June 16," said police inspector Sanivan Mirkale.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)