15-year-old dies by suicide in Pune, police say boy was sexually assaulted, threatened by 26-year-old

“Initial investigation revealed that the boy had been receiving messages from various numbers threatening him to circulate a certain video. We zeroed in on a 26-year-old man who works as a sales executive. He generally stands outside a mall. It came to light that the deceased boy had met the accused outside the mall. A few months ago, the accused allegedly took the boy to a secluded location on a hill and sexually assaulted him,” the senior inspector said.

“The accused had allegedly recorded the crime and had been sending messages to the boy threatening to circulate it. Probe suggests that repeated harassment drove the teen to take the extreme step,” the officer added.

After the suicide was reported, the police had registered a case of sudden death pending probe into the causes. After the completion of the investigation, an FIR was registered and the 26-year-old was arrested. He has been remanded in police custody.

Police have invoked Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 107 which pertains to abetment of suicide of a child and provisions of POCSO.