Lucknow, Sep 2 (IANS): A 23-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly posing as a woman on Instagram, using a fake profile and luring minor girls into sending him obscene pictures and videos.

The alleged accused, Abdul Samad, an air-conditioner mechanic, was arrested using electronic surveillance from Lucknow.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP South) Atul Kumar Thakur said, "We apprehended Abdul Samad from his house in Lucknow and recovered his smart mobile phone containing the details of many girls and their obscene videos and photos."

According to police, the accused used to initiate conversations with teenage children and watch their obscene photographs and videos.

The matter came to light after a 15-year-old victim lodged a complaint on August 27.

During the course of the investigation, notices were sent to WhatsApp and Instagram to get the details of mobile numbers and Instagram IDs used by the accused.

Based on those details, the police team managed to trace the accused from Lucknow.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he represented himself as a woman to start conversations with a teenage girl.

"He had a keen interest in Internet-based social sites, and he used to learn about it from YouTube. He had also learnt about some other applications like 'Text Now', wherein he used to send messages and made video calls to girls through international numbers. He has also represented himself as an NRI from Canada," Atul Kumar Thakur said.

The DCP said, "When the girls used to send him their obscene videos and photos, he blackmailed them and also circulated those. He has multiple Instagram IDs. He used to keep on making new Instagram IDs so that he would not be traced."