Teen stalker in Chennai uses online delivery apps to harass tuition teacher who spurned his advances

Cyberstalking case involving a 17-year-old boy harassing a woman with unwanted deliveries and cab bookings solved by police.

A 17-year-old boy obsessively stalked and harassed an older woman online, and by the time she complained to the police, it became a challenge for officials to crack and solve the case.

The 22-year-old girl belongs to a middle class family and her father is a businessman in the city. She started receiving parcels, from an anonymous source, the gifts also came via food delivery apps, and many of them were cash on delivery booked to her address and with her mobile number mentioned. She refused to accept them as she did not order the goods. The list of items sent to her included toothpaste, breakfast, essentials, cooking utensils, dresses, gift items etc and went up to dinner at night and beyond.

When she refused to accept them, the problem started: the delivery agents started becoming abusive as the woman refused to pay for the things she had not ordered. This became such a regular occurrence that her family had no other option but to call the police control room - 100 - seeking assistance. Police intervened in one instance and dispersed the delivery agents, many of whom were at the doorstep. A police officer said the prankster booked using online apps and sent more than 100 delivery executives with parcels in two days.

Then the family approached the Cyber Crime Police Station of East Zone, Greater Chennai City Police.

Then began another phase and the boy stopped sending parcels and started booking cabs of different aggregators at her address. The cab drivers thronged the house one after another, one after the other. The family had to turn them away saying that they did not book for any ride. At least 77 cab drivers visited the house in two days.

After analysing call records of the mobile phone and email used for booking, the cyber crime police were able to secure the suspect who turned out to be a juvenile. A police officer said, “ The suspect is a 17-year-old boy in the same neighbourhood. He became acquainted with her when she was taking tuitions and became obsessed with her. Earlier, unable to bear his repetitive advances the woman’s family approached the local police complaining about him. Then police counselled him and let him off. Thereafter, he adopted a novel way to harass her. The girl also stopped attending college as he continuously stalked her whenever she was out of home. After the recent complaint, police secured the juvenile and produced before the court.”

He was booked under three provisions of Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act. Police said he was released on bail on the order of a magistrate court and handed over to his mother after counselling him to stop harassing the woman any further. By the time he was arrested, he had turned 18.