Kannur: Next time you forward a photograph claiming to be that of a victim of sexual abuse, think again. You may be violating the victim’s right to privacy. You may even be defaming a girl totally unrelated to the incident, as has happened with at least two girls whose photos have been doing the rounds on social media with a claim that they were the one raped by a priest from Kottiyoor in Kannur district.
The police are on the trail of the photographs that have dragged the two girls into the nasty affair after one of the families lodged a complaint. Initial investigations by cyber forensic experts have traced the origin of the social media posts to Manjeri in Malappuram district.
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One of the photographs circulating on the social media shows a girl and her mother. The image was found to have taken from a photograph of the extended family of the accused priest, Fr Robin Vadakkumchery. The family has informed the city police commissioner of the malicious campaign but has not lodged a written complaint.
The District Child Welfare Committee has lodged a complaint on behalf of the other girl. The police have filed a case based on the complaint.
The police have warned of strict action against those who circulate the photographs on social media platforms such as WhatsApp.