Nagpur: A 20-year-old BBA student has been arrested after allegedly abducting a 16-year-old Class 12 student he befriended through social media, holding her captive for two days, brutally assaulting her, and attempting to kill her before police stormed the hideout and rescued her.
The accused, identified as Nirbhay alias Akash Madhav Pakhre, a Thane native living in rented accommodation in Nagpur, allegedly lured the daughter of a senior official after the two connected through social media platforms.
The teenager left home on Sunday, saying she was going to a mall but never returned. After her phone was found switched off and friends confirmed they had not met her, her family approached the police. Investigators traced the accused through the victim's call records and social media activity, including Instagram, Snapchat and gaming platforms.
Police contacted the accused through his mother, prompting him to force the girl to assure her parents over a phone call that she was safe. The call helped investigators narrow down the location. Officers then tracked an online food delivery placed by the accused, accompanied the delivery agent to the address and raided the premises.
The girl was found tied naked to a bed with severe stab injuries and a critically injured wrist, while the accused allegedly stood nearby armed with a knife. Police said the rescue came just in time to save her life.
Investigators alleged the accused also recorded obscene images of the victim and threatened to circulate them while warning he would kill her family. He has been booked under the POCSO Act along with charges of rape, kidnapping and attempted murder, while police continue to investigate whether other victims or accomplices are involved.