Man uses voice-changing app to pretend to be university professor and rapes 7 tribal girls in the Indian state of Sidhi

Sidhi (MP): A 30-year-old man was arrested in Sidhi district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh for raping at least seven girls after posing as a college teacher and calling them in relation to scholarship funds, police said on Saturday.

Most of the survivors belong to tribal communities. The accused, Brajesh Prajapati, used a voice-changing app to sound like a woman on the phone with his potential victims, police said.

While Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case, the accused’s house, which was built without permission, was demolished after his arrest.

Three of Prajapati’s associates were also arrested, said Inspector General (IG) of Rewa Range, Mahendra Singh Sikarwar.

Prajapati called girl students while posing as a college teacher of a college in Tikari and asked them to meet so that they could get a scholarship, the police officer said. “Her son” would take them to her house, the caller told the girls.

After the crime, he snatched the girl’s cell phone. According to one of the plaintiffs, after one such conversation, Prajapati personally picked her up on a motorcycle, wearing a helmet and gloves, took her to a deserted place and allegedly raped her.

During their investigation, the police discovered that the perpetrator had burns and injuries on his hands and were finally able to catch him.

While Prajapati admitted to raping seven girls, four girls have filed complaints, IG Sikarwar said. He may have raped more girls and an investigation is being launched, the official said.

His accomplices Lavkush Prajapati, Rahul Prajapati and Sandeep Prajapati were also arrested and 16 mobile phones were recovered from them. One of them was a college student and had the numbers of girls from a WhatsApp group of the college, the IG said.

Their exact role in the crimes had yet to be determined.

The first case of rape, kidnapping, assault and robbery was registered on May 16 following an incident on May 13. Two more cases were registered on May 18 and 23 in connection with crimes that took place on May 4 and 20 respectively. Another FIR was registered on May 19 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act in connection with a crime that took place on April 15, police officials said.

On CM Yadav’s directions, IG Sikarwar has formed a nine-member SIT headed by Kusmi Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Roshni Singh Thakur, which will submit its report in seven days, officials said.

“Anyone who commits such reprehensible acts is an enemy of society. The most severe measures will be taken against the accused. They will not be spared at any cost,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

Congress leader Kamal Nath demanded a high-level investigation.

“Can girls from tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh not even study in university without fear? … What does the slogan ‘Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao’ mean?” the former chief minister asked on X, pointing out that Madhya Pradesh leads the country in the number of crimes against tribals and women.

“Not a day goes by without news of atrocities against tribal people coming to light in Madhya Pradesh,” he said, while appealing for financial assistance to the survivors in the Sidhi case.