A shocking case of exploitation has come to light in Beawar, where several school-going Hindu girls were reportedly trapped, blackmailed, and sexually exploited by a group of men. The local police have detained seven individuals, including two minors, in connection with this harrowing incident.
According to police reports, the perpetrators, identified as Rihaan Mohammad (20), Sohail Ansari (19), Lukman (20), Arman Pathan (19), Sahil Qureshi (19), and two unnamed minors, initially befriended their victims on Instagram. They lured these young schoolgirls with gifts of mobile phones, fostering trust over time.
Once trust was established, the accused invited the girls to hotels and restaurants under various pretexts. Here, they secretly recorded compromising photos and videos of the victims. These materials were later used to blackmail the girls, pressuring them not only for sexual favours but also for religious conversion.
The case came to public attention when one of the victims, overwhelmed by the situation, resorted to stealing money from home to pay off the accused. This prompted her family to report the matter to the police.
CO Masuda Sajjan Singh confirmed that immediate action was taken following the complaint. The charges filed against the accused include violations under the POCSO Act, Section 376 for rape, and sections related to coercion for religious conversion.
So far, the police have recovered three mobile phones used in the crime. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of this gang, believed to consist of around 15 individuals. These men have targeted at least five schoolgirls, with the youngest victim being only 15 years old. All victims are students in the tenth grade at local schools.
Following the revelations, there have been significant protests by Hindu organisations, demanding stringent action against the perpetrators. Leaders from Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), notably Dhanraj Kawadia, have been vocal, urging the authorities for the strictest legal repercussions for the accused.
This incident bears a troubling resemblance to the infamous Ajmer scandal from 1992, where hundreds of Hindu girls were similarly exploited. That case led to tragic outcomes, including suicides among the victims, and implicated individuals connected to the Ajmer Dargah as well as Congress party officials, leading to convictions.
The local authority has also appealed to the public to report any similar suspicious activities to prevent further such incidents.
