Politician Among 14 Accused Of Raping Kerala Boy. They Met On Gay Dating App

A politician, two government employees and a football coach are among nine people arrested by the Kerala Police in connection with the alleged repeated sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy. The suspects reportedly befriended the teen on a gay dating app.

Speaking to NDTV, the Kasargod police chief, Vijaya Bharat Reddy, said the Class 10 student seemed to have downloaded the two years ago and is suspected to have been assaulted over a period of two years by 14 men in Kasargod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Ernakulam.

"The assaults allegedly took place at the boy's home and in various locations across the other districts. The case came to light after the boy's mother grew suspicious when she saw a man fleeing their home upon her arrival. When she questioned her son, he revealed what had been happening. The mother immediately contacted a child helpline, which then alerted the police," Mr Reddy said.

Following the boy's statement, police have registered 14 separate cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, against 16 individuals.

A Special Investigation Team, led by a deputy superintendent of police and four inspectors, has been formed to probe eight of the cases, which occurred within the Kasaragod district. The remaining six cases have been transferred to the Kozhikode and Kannur districts for investigation.

The 14 suspects are aged between 25 and 51. Police also confirmed that one of the accused is a railway employee.

The police are also looking at the app, where there was provision for self-reporting and age verification, to see if there have been any regulatory lapses that facilitated the sexual exploitation of a minor.