Maharashtra: Man held for kidnapping teenage girl befriended on social media

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The Government Railway Police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly kidnapping a teenage girl whom he befriended on a social media platform, the GRP said on Monday.

The incident took place at Kalyan station in Maharashtra's Thane district on August 18. The 17-year-old girl was later rescued and the man arrested on Sunday on charges of kidnapping her, the GRP said in a release.

The girl, a resident of Dharavi in neighbouring Mumbai, was travelling in a reserved coach of the Gadag Express from Solapur, it said.

As per the CCTV footage checked later by police, the girl was seen getting down from the train and walking alone on a platform of the Kalyan station, the release said.

The police carried out checks with the help of her mobile number and informants and got a tip-off that a man from a village in Karjat in neighbouring Raigad district had kidnapped the girl, it said.

A police team later reached the house of the accused in Karjat where the girl was spotted, the GRP said.

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The girl was rescued and handed over to her parents. The accused, Kunal Ravindra Ratambe, was placed under arrest on charges of kidnapping, the police said.

A preliminary probe revealed the girl and the accused became friends on Instagram and fell in love, they said.

Further probe is on into the case, the police added.

Meanwhile, a local BJP functionary was injured after a man allegedly attacked him with a knife following an argument over a monetary dispute in Maharashtra's Jalna city, police said on Monday.

The incident took place at around 6 pm on Sunday near Mantha bypass, police inspector Prashant Mahajan said.

The victim, Virendra Dhoka, a local BJP politician, and the accused, identified as Ashish Oza, had a heated argument over a monetary dispute, he said.

The accused allegedly fired from a pistol, but the victim managed to escape. The accused then allegedly stabbed the victim with a knife on his face and stomach, the official said.

The victim suffered serious injuries and was rushed to a private hospital where his condition was stable, he said.

Efforts were on to nab the accused, who was at large. A case was registered against him under relevant Indian Penal Code sections including 307 (attempt to murder), the official said. (Agencies)