Snapchat Link Probed in Minor’s Kidnapping, Rape Case; Missing Mandsaur Student Recovered from UP

The girl, a resident of the Dalauda police station area, went missing after the accused travelled from Meerut to Mandsaur and took her away. Her family filed a missing person complaint when she failed to return home, prompting police to register a kidnapping case and launch a search.

Investigators traced the minor using technical evidence and social media clues, recovering her safely after 11 days. Shakeel was apprehended in connection with the abduction. Police brought both the accused and the girl back to Mandsaur, where he was produced in court and remanded to two days of police custody.

According to officers, the pair had been in contact for about a year via Snapchat. The victim, who did not own a mobile phone, used a tablet to communicate. Shakeel reportedly built trust over time, making false promises of marriage before allegedly committing the crime.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police are probing whether the accused was in touch with other minors on social media platforms.

The incident highlights the risks posed by apps like Snapchat, where messages and media vanish after viewing, complicating evidence recovery. Cyber experts note that such disappearing features can enable predators to exploit vulnerable young users by fostering false intimacy while evading detection.

Authorities have not released further details on the girl's current condition or medical examination, citing her minor status and the ongoing investigation. The case has renewed calls for greater parental oversight of children's online interactions and stricter monitoring of grooming patterns on ephemeral messaging platforms.