Met 16-year-old boy through dating app, later sexually abused him; Bekal AEO suspended

KASARGOD: Bekal AEO has been suspended for allegedly sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy. The action was taken against AEO VK Sainudheen. He was suspended following his arrest in the case. It was Education Minister V Sivankutty who announced this. The accused sexually abused the boy after meeting him through a dating app. A POCSO case has been registered against 14 people in the incident. A Youth League leader is also an accused in the case.

After developing a friendship with the boy, the accused took him to different places within and outside the district and sexually abused him. The accused are from Kasargod, Kannur and Kozhikode districts. The incident came to light after the boy's mother saw one of the men at her house. The man fled after being seen, following which the mother filed a complaint with the Chandera police. The boy was then produced before Childline officials, and details of the abuse were revealed during questioning.

Investigations suggest that the boy had been subjected to abuse for nearly two years. A total of 14 cases have been registered so far, eight of them in Kasaragod alone. It is also reported that the accused had given money to the boy after the assaults. The investigation is being led by four inspectors.