Mumbai, March 23: A 15-year-old girl, who travelled alone from Nepal to Maharashtra to meet a man she befriended on Instagram, was raped in a rented house in Thane district’s Mumbra. The accused was arrested within a few hours after the girl was found by co-travellers at Dadar station and brought to the Government Railway Police (GRP), who immediately hospitalised her.

TOI reported that the victim, an Indian national residing in Nepal, had met the 22-year-old accused on Instagram a month ago. They exchanged phone numbers and started chatting frequently. The accused expressed his desire to marry her and asked her to come to Maharashtra. Threatened by the accused’s claim of ending his life if she didn’t visit, the girl decided to travel alone without informing her parents. Powai Gang Rape: Two Indian Coast Guard Men Rape Colleague’s 15-Year-Old Daughter in Mumbai, Threaten To Kill Victim and Her Father; Arrested.

According to the police, she left her home in Nepal on March 17, reached Gorakhpur (UP) by bus, and then took a long-distance train to Kalyan on March 19. The accused, who was waiting for her, took her to a rented house in Mumbra where he confined and raped her. Later that day, he left her at Diva station with a local train ticket and disappeared. Rajasthan Shocker: Nearly 20 Women Gang-Raped, Filmed on Pretext of Anganwadi Jobs in Sirohi, Case Registered Against Two.

The victim, who was severely shaken, was rushed to a public hospital after co-travellers alerted the GRP at Dadar station. She remains under treatment. The accused, who had taken the victim’s phone, was traced within a few hours using the phone number memorised by the victim. He was booked under section 376 of IPC and provisions of the POCSO Act, as the victim is underage. The FIR was submitted to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and the victim’s parents in Nepal were informed.

The accused, a resident of Wadala, is reported to do odd jobs for a living. He had deleted all his texts and chat conversations from the victim’s phone. The case has been transferred to Mumbra Police as the offence occurred in their jurisdiction.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2024 01:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).