As many as nine people have been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy over a period of two years in Kerala's Kasaragod district. The accused befriended the boy through a mobile app used by the LGBTQ community, a senior police officer confirmed on Tuesday. The accused individuals are aged between 25 and 51. Among them, one is a railway employee and another is also a government staffer, police said.
According to officials, the boy was assaulted by 14 different men at multiple locations, including his home and other places in Kasaragod, Kannur and Kozhikode districts. The ordeal continued for nearly two years before it came to light, they added. The matter was uncovered when the boy's mother saw a man at their house who fled on seeing her. On questioning her son, she learnt about the abuse and informed the child line. The child line team then alerted the police.
Multiple cases registered under POCSO Act
Police said that 14 separate cases have been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. These cases were registered in the last two days based on the statement given by the survivor.
SIT formed
To probe the matter, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted comprising a DySP and four Inspectors. The SIT will handle eight cases related to incidents in Kasaragod, while the remaining six cases have been transferred to Kannur and Kozhikode districts.
Nun found hanging in convent
In a separate incident, a nun allegedly died by suicide at a convent in Kerala's Kollam, police said. The 33-year-old woman, a native of Tamil Nadu, was found hanging in her room at the convent on Monday evening. She was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead, an officer of Kollam east police station said. A suicide note was discovered in her room, but it only indicated that she suffered from "psychological" issues, he said. A case of unnatural death has been registered and inquest proceedings are going on.
(With PTI inputs)
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