Baripada: Bangiriposhi police arrested a 23-year-old youth on charge of stalking and posting photographs of a minor girl on social media.

The accused, identified as Ranjit Nayak, a resident of Nischinta village, had posted some of their intimate photographs on social media.

The police said the accused had been produced in court under sections of the IPC such as stalking, making obscene materials public, and also under the IT Act and the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. Nayak has been sent to jail after rejection of his bail plea.

Inspector in charge of the local police station Minati Biswal said the accused had been harassing the victim, a Class X student, for quite sometime. Sources said he did not relent even after public reprimand and a mutual compromise at the village level as well as in the police station.

As the news spread in the locality and the girl's neighbours and relatives started discussing about it, her father lodged the police complaint.

"The jilted lover not only stalked the girl even after she snapped their relationship, but also posted some of their intimate photographs on social media and made them viral," she said.

The accused came in contact with the girl through his cousin sister - who are classmates - since two years ago. Nayak, during his visit to their school, had developed a relationship with the girl. After sometime, he offered her a marriage proposal. When the girl rejected the proposal stating that she had to obtain the consent of her parents, the jilted Nayak posted the pictures on the social media.

About four months ago, a compromise had been made in the local police station. However, after sometime, the accused again started playing mischief. Then the girl's father had no way but to lodged a police complaint.

"Misuse of social platform is a great concern now. So, we are now leaving no stone unturned whenever we find any such instance," said Baripada sub-divisional police officer Abhimanyu Nayak.