Man befriends minor on Facebook, rapes her at party

MUMBAI, INDIA: The Mumbai police recently arrested three men on charges of raping a minor.

The three accused have been identified as Kaustubh Chavan (21), Deepali Ahire (25), and Mandar (30).

According to the police, Chavan befriended the victim on Facebook, and had been chatting with her over the last three months.

Last month, he invited the unsuspecting victim on the pretext of a birthday party; where he and Mandar raped her, while his cousin Ahire kept watch.

According to a report in Mid-Day, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone V) VB Chandanshive said, "Chavan and the survivor became friends over a social networking site, and were in constant touch with each other over the past two or three months. The survivor trusted him blindly and went with him for a birthday bash."

The minor was picked up at 12.30 pm and was dropped back to her residence after 6 pm. Later, when she complained of stomach ache, a doctor revealed that she had been raped, the police said.

The cops have booked the three accused under Sections 376 (D) (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 363 (A) (kidnapping) and 34 (acts done by several persons with the furtherance of a common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

CIOL believes that the minor is at a vulnerable able, and in these days where social networking sites determine the eligibility of a person. The friendship that begins in a virtual world, very often takes an ugly turn... It is important that parents and teachers constantly communicate with the teenagers, and difficult as it may sound, give them the freedom and privacy they very often seek.