Bellary Police have arrested a man under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act, 2012 after a complaint was filed against him for harassing a minor online.
According to local reports, the complainant has alleged that the man had been harassing her on social media. The arrested, identified as Soyub Kotwal, had allegedly sent ‘request’ on Instagram to the girl studying in PUC (Pre-University College) hailing from Periyadka village near Savanoor in Dakshina Kannada. He had been sending her unsolicited and vulgar messages and had said that he loved her. Furthermore, Soyub proceeded to coerce the girl to accept gifts from him and also began to force her to convert her religion.
The accused Soyub is an employee of MESCOM (Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd.)
In a statement, the Hindu Jagarana Vedike has said that such instances of Love Jihad, where Hindu women are trapped and forced to convert, are becoming rampant. The Vedike urged Hindu women to be cautious in light of these circumstances. Members of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike had earlier visited the home of the complainant and had spoken to her and members of her family.