Two people arrested for assaulting schoolgirl linked on Instagram

Rajasthan Police arrested two persons in Ajmer district on Monday, June 3, for allegedly raping and blackmailing a minor girl.

The main accused, identified as Irfan, was reportedly introduced to the victim, a class 11 student, by one of her friends. He befriended her on Instagram, altered her pictures and started blackmailing her. Later, he and his accomplices raped the minor girl, according to a report by IANS.

Station in-charge Arvind Charan said the two accused have been remanded in judicial custody and their phone records and mobile phones are being examined. On the instructions of Inspector General (IG) of Ajmer Range Lata Manoj Kumar, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up to probe the case.

According to police sources, the accused may be part of a gang that traps female schoolgirls and students and then blackmails them.

According to Ajmer Police Commissioner Devendra Vishnoi, the victim’s father filed a complaint against the accused Irfan and Arbaaz and six others, accusing them of blackmailing and gang-raping his daughter.

The case was registered on May 30 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to the complaint, the victim’s friend introduced her to a boy on Instagram in October 2023. Irfan befriended her and took Instagram user ID and password. Irfan altered some of her pictures and started blackmailing the victim. He demanded Rs 500,000 from the girl.

The girl started stealing money from her house to give it to Irfan. In March 2024, Arbaaz accompanied Irfan when he came to collect money from her. After collecting the money, Irfan raped the girl and then demanded Rs 10 lakh from her.

The accused were also seen with other schoolgirls and students, and therefore the police are trying to find out whether other girls were also victims of attacks, the sources said.

Police are also investigating the role of the friend who introduced the victim to the accused.

Meanwhile, the police have carried out raids in various locations to catch other members linked to the crime and uncover the gang aspect.