Grindr trap: Education official, cop, biz owners, Jamaat leader among 9 arrested for abusing minor boy
The crime came to light when the boy’s mother noticed unusual interactions on his phone and strangers visiting him.
The crime came to light when the boy’s mother noticed unusual interactions on his phone and strangers visiting him.
The crime came to light when the boy’s mother noticed unusual interactions on his phone and strangers visiting him.
Kasaragod's Chandera Police have arrested nine people, including an education official and a police officer, for sexually abusing a 16-year-old schoolboy, after luring him through Grindr, a social networking and dating app for the LGBTQ community.
In all, there are 16 accused in 16 cases registered in four districts -- Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Ernakulam.
Sainudeen V K (52), Assistant Education Officer of Bekal sub-district, who is among the arrested, has been suspended from service by the Department of General Education.
The other accused arrested are Railway Protection Force officer and state-level football coach Chitraraj Eravil (48) of Pilicode; Kunhahammed (55), a native of Valvakad in Trikaripur and an activist of Jamaat-e-Islami and brother of a firebrand CPM leader from Kasaragod district; Sukesh (30) of Vellachal in Pilicode panchayat; Afsal (23) of Chandera; Shijith (36) of Cheemeni panchayat; Rayees (30) of Vadake Kovval in Trikaripur; Ramzan (64) of Padannakkad in Kanhangad town; and Narayanan Chambrakanam (60) of Cheemeni.
The 10th accused wanted by the Chandera Police is Siraj Vadakumpad (46), the Youth League General Secretary of Trikaripur Panchayat. An influential local leader, known for mediating disputes that often reached police attention, has now gone into hiding, said police. "We have issued a lookout circular against him," said Kasaragod District Police Chief B V Vijaya Bharat Reddy.
The boy was abused over the past two years, beginning when he was 14, said Inspector Prasanth K, SHO of Chandera Station, where 10 of the 16 cases are registered.
Kasaragod District Police Chief BV Vijaya Bharat Reddy said there are 16 accused in 16 cases. "The cases out of Kasaragod districts were sent to police stations concerned for investigation and arrests," Reddy said.
The remaining six are registered at Payyannur Police Station in Kannur, Kasaba Police Station in Kozhikode, and Elamakkara Police Station in Ernakulam.
The crime came to light when the boy’s mother noticed unusual interactions on his phone and strangers visiting him. She approached the police, who then alerted Childline. During counselling, the boy disclosed the abuse he had been subjected to. Childline later passed on the details to the police. "We received information from Childline on September 14, and the Chandera SHO immediately visited the boy’s home," said the District Police Chief.
By then, Grindr had found out that the boy was a minor and suspended his account, he said. Though Grindr is marketed as a networking app for the LGBTQ community, it is mainly used by gay and bi people for dating and hookups. Police said most of the accused men had wives and children. "They used to give money in cash to the boy. Not that he asked for it," said Reddy. The boy had registered on Grindr as an adult to explore the app.
The accused were booked for penetrative sexual assault, aggravated penetrative sexual assault, repeated sexual assault, and enticing a child for pornographic purposes under Section 377 of the IPC and Sections 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 (vi) under the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The cases in Kasaragod are being investigated by Station House Officers of Chandera, Cheemeni, Vellarikundu, Nileshwar, and Chittarikkal.