13-year-old raped, blackmailed by Instagram friend in MP; two held

PTI, Jul 20, 2024, 2:26 PM IST

Gwalior: A 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped in a moving car by a man she befriended on social media while another person shot a video of the act in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior district, police said on Saturday.

Police have arrested two out of three accused in connection with the incident, an official said.

While the incident occurred in the Mohna police station limits on June 1, a complaint was lodged on Thursday, he said.

The girl, a Class 9 student, befriended one of the accused on Instagram and was introduced to another man. The duo chatted with her on social media, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Niranjan Sharma told reporters.

On June 1, the two men and another accused met the girl at her village and forced her to go for a ride with them, he said.

As per the complaint, one of the accused raped her, and another shot a video of the act while their accomplice drove the car, the official said.

Later, the accused repeatedly called the girl to meet, threatening to circulate the video, he said.

When the girl refused to give in to their threats, the video was circulated, and her family found out about the assault, the official said.

Two men have been arrested, and a search is underway for the third accused involved in the crime, he said.

The mobile phone and car used in the crime were seized, the official said.