17-year-old arrested by Delhi Police for stalking and harassing minor

New Delhi, January 27: A college student of 17-year-old, has been put behind bars for allegedly stalking and harassing a minor girl on the social media platform Instagram. On Friday, police said, it has come to notice that the incident occurred after befriending her and forcing her to share nude pictures.

The accused is pursuing graduation from School of Open Learning. The accused befriended the 14-year-old girl and also threatened her to share nude pictures. He also asked for sexual favours lest he would circulate her already available private pictures on social media platforms, they said.

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The victims father approached the police, at that time the matter came to light. He said that his daughter shared her private pictures and videos with someone through Instagram chats and was worried that the video might be circulated.

The father of the victim was reluctant to initiate any legal action.

The victim later disclosed after counselling and cross questioning that she had shared her private pictures and video with a friend on Instagram; after which he began to pressurise her to indulge further in inappropriate chats and coerced her to send more such pictures, police said.

A case has been registered based on the statement of the minor, police further added. While investigating the matter, police found the details of the alleged Instagram profile and also the IP address and mobile numbers used to register. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), Sagar Singh Kalsi said, “The details of the IP address was further obtained from concerned mobile operators and the identity of the alleged person was ascertained.”

It was later found by police that the mobile number with which the address was registered was on the boy's father name. As the boy was not found at home, his father was directed to produce him before the police.

"During the enquiry, the accused claimed that he came in possession of some private pictures of the girl and started following her on Instagram. He kept her private pictures saved on his mobile phone and used to stalk her online. After befriending her, he started asking for her nude photos, but when the girl did not agree to his demands, he told her that he has her private pictures already," the DCP said.

When his phone was checked it was found that he was also harassing other young girls through the same modus operandi, the police said.

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