KOCHI: Out of the 28 newly allotted POCSO courts in the state, all except four have started functioning. The POCSO courts in Thiruvananthapuram, North Paravur, Alathur and Mattannur will be opened by the end of January.

There were two POCSO courts in each district. Last February, the state government gave permission to 28 more courts considering the directions of the Supreme Court and the High Court due to the increase in cases of sexual abuse against children and the delay in trial. With this, the number of POCSO courts in the state will be 56.

Increase in cases

3729 until October this year

3559 last year

450 Like last year, Malappuram district reports highest number of cases

343 Thiruvananthapuram Rural

Other districts where cases have crossed 200

249 Palakkad

212 Ernakulam Rural

201 Kozhikode Rural

Judges of new POCSO Courts

Kavitha Gangadharan (Neyyatinkara), Prasoon Mohan (Kattakkada), R. Rekha (Varkala), S Ramesh Kumar (Kollam), TReR ena Das (Kottarakkara), A Sameer (Adoor), K.M. Vani (Added), A. Jubia (Chengannur), CR Biju Kumar (Eratupetta), CR Ravichandar (Devikulam), Jaya Prabhu (Thrissur), R. Mini (Vadakancherry), Anyas Thayyil (Chavakkad), K. Shine (Kodungallur), Donny Thomas Varghese (Chalakkudy), S. Rashmi (Mancheri), K.P. Joy (Nilambur), A. Fatima Beevi (Parappanangadi), Subita Chirakkal (Ponnani), M. Shuhaib (Perinthalmanna), Anit Joseph (Nadapuram), P. Haripriya (Sultan Bathery), Jomon John (Kannur), A.V. Unnikrishnan (Kasargod).