Changanassery: The police here on Saturday registered a case on a complaint from a woman whose phone number was widely circulated as that of a sex worker.

The police registered the case soon after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan promised strict action against those who misused the woman's phone number.

The woman, a tailor at Vakathanam near Changanassery in Kottayam district, had filed a complaint with the district police chief, TV channels reported.
Police told Onmanorama the complaint was received only on Saturday.

The police will investigate the case with the cooperation of the cyber cell. The woman had been receiving several calls a day from unknown numbers seeking sexual favours for the past nine months. The woman told a TV channel some of the callers said they found the phone number written on the walls of public toilets.

She said the police had asked her to change the phone number when she complained earlier.

CM steps in

Soon after the news was aired, the chief minister intervened in the issue, promising to find the culprits.

"No activity that obstacles the people's freedom and peaceful life will be allowed. Stronger interventions will be ensured to stop the misuse of technology. The police will fulfil their responsibility to ensure stringent punishment to anti-social elements who indulge in such heinous attack against women," Vijayan wrote on Facebook.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan sought strict action against the culprits.

"The government should face strictly the antisocial people who question the privacy and self esteem of the people," he posted on Facebook.