Vadodara: Kapurai police have arrested auto-rickshaw driver Sohail Nazimkhan Pathan for allegedly raping a Hindu teenage girl from Ajwa Road and torturing her to convert to Islam. Two of the prime accused’s friends have also been arrested for allegedly threatening the victim at her home after she managed to escape.

According to the police complaint, the victim, who was 19 years and 9 months old in August 2023, befriended Sohail Nazimkhan Pathan. Sohail proposed marriage, but the girl’s family advised her to wait until she reached adulthood. However, Sohail allegedly abducted her in October that year and took her to his home in Unardip Nagar Society, Sayajipura. There, he allegedly raped her repeatedly and held her captive. He also pressured her to convert to Islam and threatened her with death.

On May 17, 2025, the victim managed to return home. However, Sohail’s friends, Faim Afeemwala and Junaid, allegedly went to her house and threatened her, forcing her to return to Sohail’s residence. There, she was reportedly attacked and the accused inflicted burns on her hand using cigarette butts.

The victim escaped again on May 18, 2025, and returned to her home and approached the Police. Based on her complaint, Kapurai police arrested Sohail Nazimkhan Pathan (22, resident of Unardip Nagar, Sayajipura), Mohammed Faim Mohammed Munaf Arefinwala (31, resident of Ahmed Park, Ajwa Road), and Junaid alias Magar Mohammed Hanifmalek (35, resident of Star Avenue, Gorwa). All three have been sent to jail. DeshGujarat