Amravati (Maharashtra), April 15 (IANS) A man accused of sexually exploiting at least 180 minor girls and recording more than 350 obscene videos has been arrested in Maharashtra’s Amravati district, police said.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Ayaz, also known as Tanveer and a resident of Paratwada city, allegedly lured minor girls into a “love trap” before taking them to cities such as Mumbai and Pune, where he is suspected of having recorded objectionable videos of them.

Investigators said these videos were then used to blackmail the victims and force them into prostitution, with some clips reportedly circulated online as well.

According to details shared in a memorandum submitted by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde to Superintendent of Police, Rural, Vishal Anand, the accused systematically targeted minors through social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Snapchat groups.

The MP had also warned of staging protests outside the SP’s office if a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was not formed to probe the case.

Police action followed soon after, with the accused being taken into custody and sent to seven days of police custody. His mobile phone has been seized, and officials confirmed that it contains several objectionable videos which are now being examined as part of the investigation.

Authorities are investigating whether the accused shared the videos with associates or a broader criminal network. The Cyber Cell has been involved in tracking and analysing any content that may have been circulated online.

The case has triggered massive outrage in Paratwada and nearby areas. Protests erupted across the city, with various organisations and political groups expressing anger over the scale of the alleged crimes.

A complete shutdown was observed in Paratwada in response to the incident, while heavy police deployment was put in place to maintain law and order.

During the course of the investigation, police have also taken four additional suspects into custody, indicating the possibility of a wider network involved in the crime.

Public anger also spread to Achalpur in Amravati district after reports surfaced that the accused had repeatedly uploaded videos depicting the exploitation of young women on social media.

Amid the outrage, civic authorities initiated action against alleged encroachments linked to the accused.

In the presence of BJP MLA Pravin Tayade, bulldozers were deployed on Wednesday to demolish structures built on encroached land associated with him.

Officials said other portions of the accused’s residence have also been identified as encroachments, and the Municipal Council has issued a 30-day eviction notice.

MLA Tayade stated that if the encroachments are not removed within the specified period, further demolition actions will be taken.

The investigation remains ongoing, with police working to uncover the full extent of the exploitation.

Further details are awaited.

–IANS

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