Online harassment via obscene video drove ITI student to suicide: cops

The deceased’s brother lodged a first information report (FIR) at the Sahkarnagar police station on Sunday. Police have booked the unidentified fraudster, who used a WhatsApp number with a woman’s picture in display to chat with the deceased.

Police said the victim hanged himself at his residence in Dhankawadi on September 30. A case of accidental death was lodged at the Sahkarnagar police station according to the legal procedure. During the investigation, police came to know about the conversation between the deceased and the accused on WhatsApp.

“He had long chats with the accused for about two and half hours on September 30. There are texts as well as voice calls and video calls between the deceased and the accused. The accused took an obscene video of the deceased and then demanded money by threatening to upload it on various social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube,” assistant inspector Berad said.

“The deceased transferred Rs 4,500 to the accused through PhonePe in different online transactions. But the accused demanded more money from him. The victim asked the accused to stop harassing him, or else he would kill himself. He also posted a message for the accused on WhatsApp that he would commit suicide. But the accused continued with the threats. The victim then hanged himself at his house,” said Berad. The officer said the victim was a student of ITI in Pune.

Police have booked the accused under Sections 306 (abetting suicide) and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and other sections under the Information Technology (IT) Act. An investigation is on for identifying and arresting the accused.

Police are trying to get more details of the phone number used by the accused and the details of the person holding the bank accounts in which the extortion money was transferred online.