KOCHI: The High Court has directed that a case be registered and an investigation be initiated immediately once a complaint is received that a girl or woman is missing. The validity of the complaint need not be examined in the first stage. The direction was given by a division bench comprising Justices Devan Ramachandran and M.B. Snehalatha.

The court held that the investigation cannot be faulted in the incident where a 15-year-old girl who went missing from Paivalike, Kasaragod was found hanging with a taxi driver. The court summoned the investigating officer and evaluated the case diary. The habeas corpus petition filed by the mother is being considered. The court also directed the police to submit a memorandum explaining the steps taken.

SHO Vinod Kumar informed that the investigation had started on the 12th when the complaint was received that the girl was missing. Following indications that the 15-year-old had gone to Karnataka with the taxi driver, they were searched there as well. Their location was accurately determined after seven days by checking their mobile signal. The police reached the spot with a police dog, but could not find them. The initial conclusion is that both of them may have died on the day of their disappearance.

The court said that further proceedings on the petition are not being terminated. The mental trauma suffered by the parents in the incident where the child who was sleeping next to them was found dead on the 30th day is unbearable. It will last for life. The parents' concerns that the investigation was not appropriate need to be addressed.

POCSO section should be in mind
POCSO sections should be in the mind of the investigating officer when hearing that minor children are missing. There was no such thought in the Paivalike case. It was handled as an absconding case. The world has changed a lot since the Covid era. Children are exposed to many influences. Controlling social media and cinema will not be enough. It is impossible to censor the internet, the division bench said.