The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed the State Police Chief to issue a circular to all Station House Officers (SHOs) in the State that on receiving information about sexual abuse of a child, police officers should record the statement of the survivor and register a case as per laws irrespective of the place the incident has occurred.
Following this, the complaint should be sent to the police station under whose limits the place where the incident occurred falls, the panel said.
The commission also directed the State Police Chief to ensure proper training for police personnel dealing with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and that the officers were made aware of a child-friendly approach in such matters.
The commission was acting on a complaint from the chairperson of the Malappuram child welfare committee that though the Tirur SHO was apprised of the sexual abuse of the girl by Childline, a case was not registered within 24 hours on the grounds that the incident did not occur in his station limits. Along with the petitioner, the SHO had been informed as the girl was in an area under his jurisdiction.
The commission observed that instead of recording the girl’s statement and taking further action, the SHO’s stance was that the incident had occurred in Thiruvananthapuram and information had been sent to the police station concerned in the capital district. Ultimately, the case was registered only after five days. This was a violation of Section 19 of the POCSO Act.
Any delay in registering FIRs in instances of crimes against children will affect successful prosecution of such cases, the commission said, seeking a report from the State Police Chief on the action taken on its directions within 40 days.
