Amravati 2.0 In Kolhapur: Man, 22, Sexually Exploits Women In Maharashtra

After the arrest of a man in Maharashtra's Amravati for sexually exploiting minor girls, a similar case has now come to light from Kolhapur, where a pharmacy student has been accused of sexually abusing multiple young women, recording obscene videos, and using them for blackmail.

Police have arrested 22-year-old Shahid Sameer Sanadi, a resident of Kolhapur's Hatkanangle taluka, in connection with the case.

However, after one of the accused's close friends came to know about the incident, he revealed the matter. Following this, a 20-year-old woman lodged a complaint on April 26 at the police station, alleging sexual exploitation and blackmail. A local court has sent the accused to four days of police custody.

Allegations of Sexual Abuse, Blackmail

According to the complaint, the accused befriended the woman through social media, took her to lodges in Kolhapur and Shiroli, sexually assaulted her, and secretly recorded videos. These videos were allegedly shared with his friends and later used to threaten the victim.

Police said the accused allegedly warned the woman that the videos would be made public if she spoke to anyone, leading to repeated mental and physical abuse.

Hindutva groups have claimed that Sanadi targeted around 10 young women in a similar manner, mostly aged between 18 and 22 years. They have alleged that the accused trapped women and later used obscene videos to blackmail them. Police said verification of the number of victims is ongoing.

Organisations such as Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan and Bajrang Dal submitted a memorandum to the police, demanding a detailed probe and strict punishment for the accused.

Senior officials, including Additional Superintendent of Police Annasaheb Jadhav, took charge of security arrangements in view of the situation.

Appeal To Other Victims

Police have urged any other victims to come forward and register complaints, assuring that their identities will be kept confidential.

Authorities said investigations are continuing to determine whether other women from Shiroli, Hupari, and Hatkanangle were affected.

The Kolhapur case comes days after police arrested Mohammad Ayaz alias Tanveer in Amravati, who is accused of sexually exploiting at least 180 minor girls and recording more than 350 obscene videos.

In the Amravati case, the accused allegedly contacted minors through WhatsApp and Snapchat, lured them with false promises, took them to Mumbai and Pune, and used recorded videos to blackmail them and force some into prostitution. Several videos were also allegedly shared widely online. 

(With inputs from Vishal Pujari)