A 20-year-old man was arrested in Assam’s Barpeta district for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl, filming it and sharing it on social media, police said on Monday.
The incident came to light after the accused started blackmailing her with the video, said the girl’s family members.
“They were having an affair and during this they got intimate. The accused allegedly filmed their intimate moments and according to the family members of the victim, he also shared this on social media,” said an officer of Sarthebari police station adding the information was shared by her family members.
The officer, requesting anonymity, said that they are investigating the video and a case has been registered under sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault) and 14 (using children for pornographic purposes) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Police said several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) have also been imposed.
“This is a sensitive case and we are investigating the details thoroughly. We cannot share many details now,” officer said.
The accused is a resident of the Palhaji area, where he works as a daily-wage worker. He was known to the victim for more than a year and the family members were not aware of it.
“She recently told us that a boy is blackmailing her and he has filmed her intimate videos. We have lodged an FIR and we appeal to the police to take down the video from social media platforms,” family members said on Saturday.
Police said the statements of both the accused and the victim, along with their family members, have been recorded and a detailed report will be submitted to the court soon.
This is the third incident of sexual assault on minor girls in Assam in last five days.
On July 8, an 8-year-old girl from Assam’s Sribhumi district was allegedly raped and murdered. The incident sparked a massive protest in the Madanmohan area of Sribhumi.
On July 10, a 48-year-old Bihar resident was arrested in Assam’s Sivasagar for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl multiple times until she fell sick, police said on Saturday.
