Mangaluru: Local police on Saturday arrested three people for repeatedly sexually harassing a 14-year-old schoolgirl. The incident was reported from the outskirts of the city located at Gurupur.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammed Muneer (28) a resident of Bantwal Taluk, Tausif, and Sadik both residents of Kaikamba.

Speaking to reporters after the arrests were made, city’s Police Commissioner N Shashikumar on Saturday added that Muneer is the prime accused in the case while the other two have been arrested for lending support to him in sexually harassing the minor girl. He further added that the police were looking out for more accused in the case.

The Commissioner added “In the Gurupur-Kaikamba area there are groups of youngsters who target school students and young women. At first, they make friends with them, offer chocolates and other items to them and then sexually harass them. There is a vast-spread network behind this and we have launched an intense investigation into the matter”.

“Muneer who is the prime accused in the case used to roam around the school and lure students and young girls with gifts to attract them and befriend them. He then used to exchange numbers with them and ask them for their private pictures and videos. After acquiring the photos and videos he used to ask the girls for sexual favors and threaten them to post their pictures and videos on social media platforms upon their rejection hence leading to sexual harassment of the girls” Shashikumar said during the press conference at his office.

A case in this regard was registered at the women's police station in the city after the parents of the girls came to know about the harassment. Three people have now been arrested and further investigations are underway. Muneer, according to the police works as a driver while the other two arrested accused also have criminal records against their names.

Police Commissioner Shashikumar also urged women and girls who have been victims of such incidents and harassments, to come forward and report it to the police as the initial investigations have revealed that several girls and women were targeted by the accused in the Gurupura locality.

Local residents of Gurupura have also acknowledged the presence of such groups of youngsters who lure women and girls by living a luxurious life and roaming around in luxurious cars. The locals also said the groups sometimes also use rented luxury cars to impress girls and lure them and befriend them.

College students, girls, and women whose husbands live abroad are the primary target of these groups. They exchange numbers trap them under the guise of a love affair and sexually exploit them. They then make videos of them and blackmail the victims, who, out of fear give away money and gold to the abusers, locals added.

They also said such groups enjoy support from powerful people of the area.

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Bajpe: Police have arrested a youth for allegedly posting derogatory and defamatory content against the Bajpe police on social media.

The arrested accused has been identified as Abhishek M. (23), a resident of Katipalla, Surathkal.

According to the police, Abhishek posted a photograph of Bajpe Nisarga Hotel on his Instagram account mr_a_titude_22, alleging that accused persons in a murder case under the jurisdiction of the Bajpe police station were being treated “like royalty” by the police and were being served beef meals from the hotel every day. In his post, he further accused the police of colluding with criminals and misusing their authority, stating that public trust in the police was being betrayed.

Following which, the Bajpe police registered a case and arrested the accused.

Police records reveal that Abhishek is already facing multiple criminal cases. A case of murder, attempt to murder, assault and robbery has been registered against him at the Surathkal police station. At the same time, a robbery case has also been registered at the Kaup police station.

After his arrest, Abhishek was handed over to the custody of the CEN police for further investigation. He was later produced before a court, police said.