First survivor breaks silence in Amravati sexual abuse case

A 15-year-old survivor has come forward in the Amravati sexual exploitation case, prompting police to seek more victims while urging caution against misinformation.

NAGPUR: In a breakthrough in the Amravati sexual exploitation case, a 15-year-old survivor from Nagpur has come forward, the first young woman to take this step, to record her statement before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), on Saturday.

First survivor breaks silence in Amravati sexual abuse case

Police had registered a suo-motu case nearly a week ago when it emerged that a 19-year-old from Paratwada town in Amravati district had befriended and lured young women, most of them minors, and sexually abused them. Mohammad Ayan, the main accused in the case, also recorded these acts on video and circulated them online. Ayan as well as the survivors identified so far are Muslim, thereby ruling out a communal angle to the case, police say.

Police had identified eight survivors but, given the sensitive nature of the case, none had come forward, until now. “A 15-year-old girl from Nagpur has appeared before the police and her statement is being recorded,” said Chandrashekhar Bawankule, guardian minister of Amravati, and also state revenue minister.

Bawankule made the statement after reviewing details of the case with senior officials, including Vishal Anand, superintendent of police, Amravati (rural); city police commissioner Rakesh Ola, and Achalpur MLA Pravin Tayde.

He said investigators have seized multiple digital devices—including mobile phones, a hard disk, a laptop, and a tablet—from the accused. The devices have been sent for forensic examination.

Bawankule urged other survivors to come forward, saying, “Police and the government will extend full support. Victims’ identities will be kept strictly confidential.”

He also cautioned against exaggerated claims and giving the case communal colour. He asked Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde to submit evidence backing his claim that 180 young women had been sexually exploited and abused.

He also urged BJP leader Navneet Rana and Minority Commission chairperson Pyare Khan to refrain from making public statements that could hamper the investigation. “Any information should be shared only with the police,” he said, while requesting the media to rely on official police briefings.

“Now that a victim has stepped forward, more dimensions of the case are likely to emerge. Verified details will be shared after due process,” Bawankule said.

Meanwhile, the case has sparked a political slugfest. Pyare Khan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking action against Navneet Rana, accusing her of fuelling communal tensions through unverified claims. Along with Anil Bonde, Rana had claimed that many of the women Ayan had targeted were Hindu, allegations that police say lack evidence so far.

Rana hit back at Khan, saying she would “stand for Hindus” and demanded Khan’s resignation for his silence in the alleged TCS Nashik case. In his letter, Khan accused Rana of making provocative remarks that targeted a particular community.