In a shocking case from Kanjurmarg, an 11-year-old girl was allegedly targeted through a fake Snapchat account where she was coerced into sharing obscene photographs. The Kanjurmarg police have registered a case under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and IT Act, and a search is underway to trace the accused.
According to police, the accused appears to be a pervert who has been creating fake social media profiles in the names of young girls and luring minors into his trap. In this case, the accused posed as a girl named “Saanvi Rao” using a Snapchat ID ‘asaaanvi_rao’ and befriended the victim recently.
Taking advantage of the minor's innocence, the accused, under the fake identity, gradually gained the girl's trust and began demanding obscene pictures. Unaware of the consequences, the victim sent some pictures, but soon the demands increased. When the victim hesitated, the accused threatened to circulate the photos online. Fearing public embarrassment, the girl was terrified and received threatening messages continuously.
Ultimately, the girl confided in her parents, who immediately approached the Kanjurmarg Police Station and lodged a complaint. Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case under Section 67(B) of the POCSO Act and provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Zone 7 Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijaykant Sagar informed that an investigation is ongoing and a police team is actively tracking the accused. “We suspect the accused to be a male who used a girl’s identity to lure minors. He will be arrested soon,” DCP Sagar stated.
He also cautioned that platforms like Instagram and Snapchat can pose serious risks to children. “Parents must remain vigilant about their children's mobile phone usage and monitor how and for what purpose these devices are being used,” he added.