Indus Valley Times

The minor girl says her photographs have gone viral in Pakistan, Turkey and Pakistan

 By S N Behera

Kendrapara, July 19: A 16-year-old girl hailing from Odisha’s Kendrapara district on Sunday appealed to chief minister Naveen Patnaik seeking action against a youth who she alleged took some objectionable photographs of her after cajoling into a relationship and later uploading them on social media platforms.

The 16-year-old girl said she suspected the youth to be a member of an international sex racket who used to trap the poor girls in the pretext love and marriage and then blackmail them to do indecent things.

The victim, who lodged a formal police complaint with Kendrapara police on May 15, also alleged that her ‘objectionable’ pictures were made viral in Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh and some other countries and 14 Indian states by the accused, his younger brother and some other persons.

“A few days ago, some young men who work as masons came to our village from Nadia district of West Bengal. They were engaged in hour house construction. During their stay here, one of the youths named Mohammed Milan Sheikh befriended me and tried to cajole me into a relationship. He then wanted sexual favours. When I expressed my reluctance, he cut his palm with a razor threatening that he would end his life if I didn’t agree to his proposal. Petrified, I agreed to his proposal. Every night, he would ask me for video chats. One day during the video-chatting, he asked me to pose for some close body shots which I obliged. Taking advantage of my simplicity, he clicked some screenshots and started to blackmail me for physical relationship. When I protested, he uploaded the pictures on different social media platforms,” the girl said.

Though the girl’s family on May 15 approached Kendrapara Sadar Police station with a formal complaint, no concrete action – other than registration of a case – has been taken so far to arrest the accused.

The accused’s younger Md Mulayam Sheikh allegedly warned the victim over telephone of serious consequences if she pursued the case with the police.

Family members of the victim alleged that the police was dilly-dallying to take action against the culprit as he is close to a powerful lady and her husband who have much political clout in the area.

Sources said Mohahammed Milan Sheikh had previously trapped nearly four other women at different places. In one of the cases, he was also arrested.

The local people in Chandol suspect Milan Sheikh to be a habitual blackmailer who traps girls in the pretext of love and marriage and then forces them to do illegal things. When the girls, after realising that they have been cheated, protest his move he uploads their video clips on social media platforms and they blackmail.

Kendrapara Sadar police station inspector Pabitra Maharana said investigation was on and the culprits will soon be taken into custody.

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Photograph: Md Milan Sheikh