A chilling case of child sexual abuse has come to light in north Kerala, where a 16-year-old boy was allegedly exploited by multiple men, including an RPF official, a local politician, and a senior Education Department official, over a period of two years.
Police have so far arrested nine accused, while efforts are on to trace others still on the run.
According to investigators, the boy came into contact with the accused through a dating app. Several men befriended him online and gradually won his trust.
After establishing contact, the accused allegedly took the boy to various locations in Kasaragod, Kannur, and Kozhikode districts. There, he was repeatedly subjected to sexual assault. Police said the abuse was not a one-off incident but continued over time, with the boy being paid money after the assaults, pointing to deliberate and systematic exploitation.
The case came to light when the boy’s mother noticed a stranger inside her house. The man fled on being spotted, prompting her to grow suspicious. Without delay, she approached the Chandera police with a complaint.
Following the complaint, the boy was produced before Childline officials for counselling and questioning.
His account confirmed the abuse, and based on their report, a formal police investigation was launched.
So far, 14 people have been booked under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Shockingly, the list also includes a senior Education Department Officer, a Railway Protection Force official, and a local political leader.
Nine accused are now in custody. Five others, believed to be outside Kasaragod district, are still at large. Their details have been circulated to other jurisdictions to facilitate arrests. Most of the accused hail from Kasaragod and Kannur.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a DySP and four Inspectors has been formed to probe the case. The SIT will investigate eight incidents reported in Kasaragod, while the remaining six have been handed over to police units in Kannur and Kozhikode.
While the investigation continues, the case has already sparked deeper questions. How safe are minors in the age of unmonitored dating apps? Why did powerful men feel confident they could exploit a child without consequence? And does this case represent only the visible tip of a larger problem – male child abuse often hidden in silence?
Police have assured that the case will be taken to its “logical conclusion.” But for Kerala, the Kasaragod case is more than a criminal investigation. It is a grim reminder that predators can operate across districts shielded by power, technology, and social stigma. The alleged involvement of an RPF official, a senior Education Department member, and a local politician reveals the rot that has pervaded every corner of Kerala’s social and institutional fabric, eroding public trust in the very pillars meant to safeguard society.
It also underscores the state’s steady decline into lawlessness, whether it is the sinister Islamism that keeps cropping up far too frequently, widespread political violence, rampant cases of gold smuggling, or the child abuse case reported in Kasaragod now, Kerala, once celebrated for its literacy, can no longer take pride in that alone while its social order unravels.