Bheden: Seven youths were arrested Wednesday after allegedly circulating an obscene photograph of a 17-year-old girl under Bheden police limits of Bargarh district. The arrested were identified as Basant Patel, 24, Chhabil Melli, 23, Jibardhan Behera, 24, Prakash Pradhan, 24, Subrat Pradhan, 26, Tosabanta Pradhan, 26, and Prafulla Behera, 26 – all residents of Bheden area. They were produced before Bheden Judicial Magistrate Court and later sent to Bargarh jail after their bail pleas were rejected.
A case (188/25) has been registered under relevant Sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 126(2), 296, and 351(2), as well as Sections 66E, 67, 67A, and 67B of IT Act, and Section 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. According to police, the victim was previously in a relationship with one of the accused. After the relationship soured, the youth allegedly shared private photographs of the minor that he had obtained earlier, sending them via WhatsApp to several young men in her village.
The images then spread further, eventually going viral. The matter came to light after the girl’s family lodged a complaint with Bheden police Tuesday. Following the complaint, police launched an investigation and arrested the seven accused.
