Nagpur: A routine absent alert sent by the school to a 13-year-old girl’s parents uncovered a case of alleged sexual assault by a 28-year-old man after ‘grooming’ her online.The man, identified as Karan Keshi, was taken into custody on Sunday. He befriended the girl on a social media platform and allegedly raped her on two occasions, said Sadar police.The accused, a tile-fitter by profession, first contacted the Class 8 student online in November last year. He resorted to online ‘grooming’, in which sexual offenders exploit social media platforms to build trust with minors over time, said police.The minor girl skipped her school twice in March, once mid-month and again last week. After the school’s automatic message system alerted her family about the unexplained absence last week, parents questioned the girl at home.After persistent probing, the girl broke down and confessed that on both occasions, she left home in her school uniform as usual, changed out of it in the school, and met the man. On both occasions, Keshi took the girl to a hotel in Gittikhadan where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.Shocked by the revelation, the parents rushed to the Sadar police station and filed a complaint. Sadar police arrested the accused within hours. During questioning, he confessed to the crime, said police.Police said what began as casual conversations gradually turned flirty and manipulative. The accused repeatedly pressured the girl to meet him, promising a good time. Authorities have seized the accused’s phone to check for any evidence about other potential prey. The man has been booked under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and remains in police custody.
