A minor who travelled to Kanpur to prepare for her NEET medical entrance examination was reportedly raped and blackmailed for several months by two prominent instructors from a well-known coaching institute in the city. According to police reports, one of the instructors was apprehended a few months prior after CCTV footage depicted him allegedly sexually harassing another student circulated widely, which empowered the survivor to come forward and file a complaint.
Both instructors have since been taken into custody.
A police officer stated that the student had relocated to Kanpur in 2022 to pursue her studies and had enrolled at a local coaching centre. In January, her biology teacher, Sahil Siddiqui, 32, invited her to a gathering at his residence, claiming it was intended for all students. Upon her arrival, however, she discovered that she was alone with him. She alleged that Siddiqui intoxicated her, raped her, and recorded the incident.
The survivor informed the police that Siddiqui threatened to release the video publicly and harm her family, and assaulted her on multiple occasions thereafter.
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He reportedly confined her in his apartment for a period and coerced her into attending parties there. It was during one of these gatherings that she was raped by her 39-year-old chemistry teacher, Vikas Porwal. At the time, the survivor was still a minor.
The student recounted that she had returned home to visit her parents around the time of Holi when Siddiqui contacted her, demanding her return and threatening her family if she refused.
Recently, a video of Siddiqui allegedly harassing another student went viral, leading to his release on bail. An official noted that this incident helped the survivor overcome her fear and prompted her to file a police report on Thursday.
An FIR was filed on Friday, resulting in the arrest of both Siddiqui and Porwal the same night.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Abhishek Pandey stated, “The student reported that she was raped by the accused on different occasions. A case has been registered, and both individuals are currently in custody and undergoing questioning. The student was a minor at the time of the incidents.”
