Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Saturday directed the state police to ensure that children were not summoned to police stations for recording statements. 

Commission member, P P Syamaladevi, in an order, directed the state director general of police to ensure that children under the age of 15 are not called to police stations to record their statements and said the principle of "best interest of the child" must be adhered to. 

The commission's directions came in the wake of two incidents in which children were called to police stations to record their statements in separate cases. 

Syamaladevi told PTI that despite existing laws under the Care and Protection of Children Act, 2015 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), there are instances of children being summoned to police stations. The Commission observed that summoning a child might cause them mental stress. The commission cited a case pertaining to the abuse of a child by a neighbour and another regarding a school teacher beating up a student.

(With PTI inputs)