Tiktok Star Charged With Gang Rape Used Social Media Fame To Traffic Women

A viral video of the harrowing assault of a woman led to the crackdown on a gang involved in human trafficking. One of the members of the gang has been identified as TikTok influencer Ridoy Babu. The man allegedly lured women with his social media fame and promised them jobs. The women, like the victim in the video, were trafficked from Bangladesh to India. Police are investigating the incident.

In a video shared by one of the attackers, four men and one woman are seen attacking the victim. The victim is horrendously beaten up before being stripped and sexually assaulted between May 19 and 20. It is believed that the incident took place after a financial dispute between the victim and the prime suspect. The attackers and the victim are believed to be from Bangladesh. The attack took place in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. After the video became viral Bangladeshi police alerted Bengaluru Police which led to an investigation being launched.

Based on the video, six suspects were arrested in Bengaluru on Thursday, May 28. The prime suspect was named as 30-year-old Mohammed Babu Shaikh by the Deccan Herald. Other suspects included three men 25-year-old Ridoy Babu, 23-year-old Rakibul Islam Sagar and 23-year-old Hakil. Two women, identified as Nasrath and Kajal, were also arrested.

The victim was also identified. She reportedly escaped from Karnataka to Kerala with the help of a friend. She was returned to Bengaluru where the investigation is taking place.

Times of India reported that Babu, whose real name is Rifadul Islam, used TikTok to lure women. He shared multiple short videos on the platform with women. He then reportedly promised to help them find work outside the country. He handed the women over to traffickers who then illegally smuggled the women into India and forced them into prostitution.

Police took the gang to the scene of the crime as a part of the investigation on Friday, May 29. During the visit to the scene in the Kanakanagar area of Ramamurthynagar, Islam and Sagar tried to flee. The police shot at the two men. The men sustained non-fatal gunshot wounds to their legs and were admitted to a hospital.

The suspects will remain in police custody till June 10 as the investigation continues. They will be questioned on the incident as well as the prostitution and trafficking. The victim and his friend will also be questioned as a part of the investigation.