Cyber Crime
Cyber Crime Image Credit: REUTERS

An Indian student has been arrested for posting mobile numbers of several academicians on pornographic Web sites. The incident happened in Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Local reports have identified the man as P Shaik Shavali, a 27-year-old accounts student. Shavali is reportedly suffering from depression and posting these numbers may have been his bizarre way of finding relief.

Shavali's victims include the principal of the city's JB Institute of Engineering and Technology and two other professors.

The disturbed young man is a native of the Kurnool district from the same state and was registered as an inmate at the Happy Home Boys Hostel in the city, while preparing for his exams, according to a Deccan Chronicle report.

The numbers were reportedly posted four months ago and the victims began receiving a barrage of disturbing and lewd phone calls.

In addition, Shavali reportedly also gained access to several mobile phones to send abusive text messages. He also sent similarly abusive emails, from a number of different addresses.

"He used to collect the victims' phone numbers by browsing the Internet. He uploaded the numbers on an Indian pornographic Web site... inviting people for paid sex," N Jayaram, an investigator with the Cyber Crimes unit, explained.

"Under the phone numbers [on the Web site], he wrote that 'clients' are assured young girls and guest houses in HITEC city [a township near Hyderabad]. The victims started getting calls seeking girls day and night from all over India," he added.

The whole ordeal also cost one of the victims his marriage. His wife reportedly became suspicious of the phone calls and walked out on their relationship.

Shavali remained at large for quite some time because he used SIM cards bought with stolen identity documents. He was finally captured by a police team from the cyber crimes investigation department.