Nagpur: Ajni police have registered a case against three youths, including a 17-year-old minor, for allegedly befriending three school-going girls through Instagram, following them near their school and taking them to Koradi on motorcycles after allegedly threatening and emotionally blackmailing them.

According to the police, the three girls — aged 15, 12 and 12 years — study at a school in the Ajni area. The girls allegedly became acquainted with the accused through Instagram. The accused subsequently developed a friendship with them and allegedly began following them during school hours.

Police said the accused allegedly threatened the girls, telling them that they would harm themselves by cutting their wrists if the girls refused to befriend them. On September 16, the accused allegedly took the three girls on their motorcycles from the school vicinity to Koradi.

The accused allegedly warned the girls that they would be thrown somewhere if they told anyone about the incident. After taking them to Koradi, the accused allegedly brought them back and dropped them near their school.

Following the incident, the girls reportedly became frightened and distressed. Based on a complaint lodged by the mother of one of the victims, Ajni police registered a case against Rishikesh Vilas Dhurve (18) and two others under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident and the accused’s interactions with the minors through Instagram.