Malappuram tops in child abuse cases

Kochi: Malappuram district tops in child abuse cases in the state while Pathanamthitta  is at the bottom of the list. This is as per the details of cases registered and tried under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the state.  

During the last 30 months,  2,923 cases have been registered in Kerala. Since the Act was passed in 2012,   a total of 276 cases were  registered in Malappuram district and 211  in Idukki.  

The state police uploaded the statistics on their official website the other day.  

The state had drawn  flak when the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) revealed the details of the conviction under the Act stating that Kerala government had failed to hand over the details on time.

Deccan Chronicle  had earlier reported the state’s delay  in revealing the details. In  2014,  1,380 cases were registered and  1,002 in 2013.  This year 541 cases  have been  registered so far.  

Malappuram tops the list in the last three years. So far,  83 cases have been registered this year in Malappuram.

Pathanamthita has the least number of child abuse cases with 71  while  Thrissur  city police limits stand  second from the  bottom of the list with 89 cases. Kozhikode city police registered 96 cases.

The  POCSO Act  was  formulated  to  address the crimes of sexual abuse and  exploitation of children.

Though three years have passed since the central government asked the state to constitute special courts to try cases under the Act, till date the government has not constituted a single court.