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In Kerala, 41 held for promoting child pornography
According to the police, 596 locations were raided and 392 computer devices and phones were seized in the last couple of days. Most of those arrested were under observation for some time and in most cases there were exclusive groups on the dark net helping each other.
In a state-wide crackdown on child pornography, the cyber wing of the Kerala police on Monday, arrested 41 people including IT professionals and registered 339 cases, Additional Director General of Police Manoj Abraham said.
He said 596 locations were raided and 392 computer devices and phones were seized in the last couple of days. Most of those arrested were under observation for some time and in most cases there were exclusive groups on the dark net helping each other.
“Our statistics show there has been a sharp increase in child pornography cases during the pandemic. Lockdown has increased digital surfing and this also spiked use of pornography, especially involving children,” he said adding many users often think that use of the dark net will go unnoticed but they are mistaken.
“In many cases it looks like sickness and addiction that require medical treatment. And in many cases there are repeat offenders also,” said Abraham, a decorated officer specialising in cyber crime. The cyber wing has nabbed many online cheating cases and ATM frauds recently. He said the cyber wing was planning a directory of repeat offenders.
“We have zero tolerance towards such offences. We have tied up with many organisations including the Interpol and International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children to detect child pornographers. It is a big concern that such cases are on the rise. Child security is the responsibility of every member of the society,” he said.
The Kerala police had constituted a special wing-- Counter Child Sexual Exploitation Unit-- in last January and started a crackdown on offenders. He said 428 people were arrested and 525 cases registered in a year.
Most of the arrested were found to be using all kinds of encrypted handles to upload and download such material and circulating them on social media platforms, he said. He said most of the seized material belong to children between 6 and 15 years of age. Officials have code-named the operation ‘P Hunt 20.2.
During the raid it was also found that some of the users format their smart phones every three days to avoid detection. Use of malwares to activate the webcams of the victims and to steal information of children was also detected.
“Many obscene pictures, videos inside household, flats etc have been uploaded in recent times, which clearly show that most of the pictures have been taken from Kerala,” he said adding abuse of children locked up in their homes was quite evident in some cases. He said in some cases offenders were married and have children.
Watching and sharing child pornographic images, videos and literature are a crime in the country and any offence can invite a five-year jail term and a maximum fine of Rs 10 lakh.
