Thiruvananthapuram: More than 30,000 cases of child sexual abuse are registered every year in Kerala. Considering the growing evil of sexual abuse of minors, Kerala Police is set to create 200 new posts this month ahead of forming Special Task Forces to exclusively investigate cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The decision is following a directive from the Supreme Court earlier, to complete probes in the POCSO cases in a time-bound manner. The apex court had also criticized many other States for forming special teams with the existing personnel, without creating new posts.
Though the plan was to create 300 posts to raise the POCSO special teams, the creation of the remaining 100 positions has been postponed to next year, considering the State Government’s acute financial crisis. The formation of the cybercrime department, which was accorded recently, would also be delayed.
It was decided earlier to launch both the special teams together. However, with the SC directive in place, the Government fast-tracked the process to raise special POCSO teams. Although it has been more than a year since the SC directed the need to form teams for timely probe of POCSO cases, five states, including Kerala, had not finalized their POCSO special teams yet. As the delay might have drawn action for contempt of court, Kerala initiated the processes for forming POCSO teams urgently.
A 19-member team led by an officer of the rank of the Deputy Superintendent of Police would be formed in all the 20 Police districts in the State. Four DySP posts would also be created.
Sixteen narcotic DySPs would be assigned as investigating officers for the POCSO cases. More Circle Inspector and Sub-Inspector rank posts would also be created.
The Kerala Government will have to take an additional burden of Rs 16.8 crore per year for the POCSO special teams.