Ahmedabad teen alleges repeated assault, blackmail by man she met on Snapchat

In a harrowing account of online grooming turning into prolonged sexual exploitation, a 16-year-old girl from Juhapura has alleged that a man she befriended on Snapchat raped her multiple times over several months, captured compromising photographs to blackmail her, and subjected her to physical assault and abuse.

The girl's mother, a homemaker residing in Juhapura, filed a First Information Report (FIR) at Vejalpur police station on Monday evening, detailing the ordeal that began in June this year.

According to the FIR, the 16-year-old victim first connected with the accused, who introduced himself as 'Ashfaq', via a friend request on Snapchat on June 25, 2025. The conversations quickly escalated when the man proposed marriage, leading the minor to shift their chats to phone calls. The family was grappling with challenges at the time, as the girl's younger brother was hospitalised, leaving her alone at home periodically.

The first assault allegedly occurred in the early hours of July 13, 2025, when the accused arrived uninvited at their residence. Despite her resistance, he raped her twice and took photographs of the acts. Using these images as leverage, he began blackmailing her, employing abusive and derogatory language to coerce her into compliance. On July 15, 2025, he returned to the house while she was alone and raped her again, continuing the pattern of threats based on the photos.

The exploitation persisted, with the accused demanding video calls and forcing her to undress. On August 5, 2025, after he summoned her to a ground behind Sarkhej Roza, where, despite her refusals, he physically assaulted her and verbally abused her to maintain the abusive relationship.

During which the accused revealed his true identity as Mahir Padhiyar, a resident of Dasada taluka, Surendranagar district. He allegedly took her on a motorcycle from Juhapura to a hotel near Paldi, where he again raped her.

The victim reportedly pleaded with him, citing her young age and inability to endure the trauma, but he didn't listen. The final incident unfolded on October 3, 2025, when he took her to the same hotel in Paldi and raped her twice more.

“The victim's mother discovered the extent of her daughter's suffering on the evening of October 3, when she returned home late, visibly distressed and fearful. After gently coaxing the truth from her, the mother rushed to the Vejalpur police station to file a complaint," said a police official.

The FIR has been registered against Mahir Padhiyar under relevant sections of the BNS, including those about rape, blackmail, and assault, as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, given the victim's minor status. Police sources confirmed that an investigation has been initiated, and the accused has been arrested.