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Homes of men accused of ‘circulating girl’s obscene video’ razed in Madhya Pradesh, putting town on edge

Investigators alleged that Rihan forced his way into the victim’s home with a knife when her parents were away, threatened her, and forced her to record an explicit video.

2 min readBhopalDec 7, 2025 08:28 AM IST

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The alleged incident sparked protests, which right-wing groups eventually joined. Protesters called for a shutdown and demanded action against the suspects, who have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and the Information Technology Act.

Civic authorities in Shamgarh in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district demolished portions of homes belonging to two men accused of blackmail and circulating a sexually explicit video of a minor — an alleged incident that triggered communal tensions in the town Saturday.

Two men, Rihan and Babu, were arrested for allegedly forcibly shooting an “obscene” video of the girl and then using it to demand a ransom of Rs 5 lakh. The incident and subsequent protests led to heavy police deployment in the town.

According to the police, the girl met Rihan about three months ago.

“Many of the protestors have demanded that the two men be paraded in the street and their homes be demolished. Taking this into view, permission was granted to demolish illegal constructions in their homes,” Additional Superintendent of Police Hemlata Kuril said.

Investigators alleged that Rihan forced his way into the victim’s home with a knife when her parents were away, threatened her, and forced her to record an explicit video. Later, he allegedly showed the video to his associate Babu and the two men allegedly demanded Rs 5 lakh from the girl’s family to keep it private.

When the money didn’t come, the video was allegedly sent to the girl’s family and then circulated on social media.

“The family had paid Rs 2 lakh and the accused kept demanding more money and when they could not pay up, they leaked the video to the family,” Kuril said.

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Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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