The Nagpur police arrested a 20-year-old Bachelor of Business Administration student from Mumbai early Tuesday for allegedly kidnapping, sexually assaulting and repeatedly attacking a Class 12 student with a knife, according to a report in Hindustan Times.
The accused, identified as Nirmay Madhav Pakhare, is a resident of Thane and the son of two doctors. He is also the nephew of a senior Indian Police Service officer, according to the report. Police said Pakhare befriended the survivor on Instagram in May last year, when she was 16, using a fake account under the name "Akash Mehra". The survivor is the daughter of a revenue department official.
The survivor's parents approached Nagpur police after she failed to return home for nearly 24 hours and her mobile phone remained switched off.
Following a search lasting about 20 hours, police traced her to a rented flat in Dighori, south Nagpur. Officers who raided the premises allegedly found her tied up, while the accused was standing nearby with a belt in his hand. The police also recovered a knife from near the bed that was allegedly used to inflict several injuries on her.
ALSO READ: Varanasi Shocker: Teacher Burns 5-Year-Old Boy's Private Parts With Hot Knife For Urinating In Pants
The survivor was rescued and admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Pakhare was arrested and taken to the Hudkeshwar police station.
Investigators alleged that the accused had coerced the survivor into continuing a sexual relationship and threatened to circulate her photographs online if she refused. Police said he had rented the Dighori flat and had met the survivor there on at least one earlier occasion. He allegedly took her to the flat on Sunday morning and confined her there for more than 24 hours before the police rescued her.
The rescue operation began after the survivor's father filed a kidnapping complaint at the Hudkeshwar police station when she did not return home for more than 20 hours.
Investigators analysed her Instagram conversations and other digital records, which led them to the accused's residence in Thane. Nagpur police then contacted their counterparts in Thane and sought assistance from his family in tracing him.
At the police's request, the accused's mother called him. Cybercrime officials tracked the call and narrowed his location to the Dighori area, according to the report.
Senior Inspector Anamika Mirzapure said a court had remanded the accused to two days in police custody for questioning. His parents travelled from Thane to Nagpur on Tuesday after learning about the allegations.
“We are investigating whether the accused was involved in similar offences in the past. His Instagram account, mobile phones and other digital devices are being examined,” Mirzapure was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
ALSO READ: Delhi Shocked As Cab Driver Arrested For Kidnap, Assault, And Murder Of 11-Year-Old Girl
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
