Noida police on Thursday arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly raping a girl studying in Class X whom he had befriended on social media platform Instagram, officers said.

The accused, who hails from nearby Hapur district, was booked under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, they said.

According to the 17-year-old girl’s parents, she had gone missing from herhouse on June 6 after which they reported the matter to the local Sector 39 police station where an FIR under Section 363 (missing) of the Indian Penal Code was lodged and an investigation launched, they said.

After the girl was rescued and reunited with her family, the police said Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Pocso Act were also added to the case, the official added.

“On Thursday, the arrest of the accused was made based on inputs from local police teams and he was picked up from the Botanical Bus Stand in Noida. He was wanted since June 7,” the police spokesperson said.

“The accused had befriended the minor girl (victim) on Instagram and manipulated her, luring her to accompany him.He then committed the sexual assault,” the official added.