The 16-year-old girl rescued by Hudkeshwar Police from a rented room in Dighori had nearly 20 injuries on her body. Police officers said the rescue came just in time. They believe a delay of a few more minutes could have cost the teenager her life. The girl had deep knife wounds on both wrists and her neck. Doctors also found several injuries on other parts of her body, including her private parts. Police said she was repeatedly assaulted during nearly 30 hours of captivity. The accused, Nirmay Madhav Pakhare (19), allegedly attacked her with a knife and a belt. Police said he also sexually assaulted the minor. The rescue took place around 11.05 pm on Monday. A Hudkeshwar Police team traced the accused to a rented room in Dighori. Before entering, officers looked through a window. They saw the accused holding a knife against the girl’s neck.

 

Her hands and legs were tied. She was helpless. Police realised there was no time to wait. They broke open the door and rushed inside. The accused was overpowered before he could further harm the girl. Policewomen immediately covered the frightened teenager with clothes. They untied her hands and legs and rushed her to hospital. Investigators said the medical examination revealed around 20 injury marks. Apart from the knife wounds, she had several injuries caused by beatings. Police said the accused had repeatedly assaulted her with a belt. During the investigation, police also found that the accused had injured himself. Officers believe he did so to emotionally manipulate and frighten the girl. A police officer said that the girl left her home on Sunday morning after telling her parents that she was going to meet a female friend. She later met the accused in Nagpur around 4 pm. Police said the girl spoke to her parents on the phone and falsely claimed that she was with her female friend as the accused was pressuring her. He then allegedly took her to the rented room.

 

Her phone was switched off soon after. When she could not be contacted, her family searched for her and later approached Hudkeshwar Police. A kidnapping case was registered. Police later learnt from the girl’s friend that she had gone to meet Pakhare. Investigators also traced an earlier phone call made by the accused to the girl’s father from a landline. The number led police to his house in Thane. A police team contacted Thane Police and reached the accused’s residence. His parents informed him that the police had arrived. Soon after, he allegedly forced the girl to record a voice message saying she was safe. Investigators said she was being beaten while recording the message. The voice note was sent on Monday afternoon to mislead her family and delay the search. Technical surveillance later traced the accused’s location to Dighori.

 

Police searched rented rooms in the area and finally located the victim. Investigators have also recovered chat messages between the accused and the girl. Police said he allegedly threatened to kill her parents and younger brother if she refused to meet him. He also allegedly blackmailed her using intimate photographs. Police suspect the accused had rented the room to repeatedly exploit the minor whenever he visited Nagpur. He has been booked under the POCSO Act, kidnapping and other relevant sections of BNS. His mobile phones and electronic devices are being examined to find out whether any objectionable photographs or videos were circulated and whether any other girls were targeted.