Chandera Police Station CI Prasanth said the investigation is still in its early stage and that further action will be decided after more discussions with the authorities.
Published Sep 19, 2025 | 10:10 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 19, 2025 | 10:10 AM
Kasaragod Police have begun exploring the possibility of legal action against Grindr.
Synopsis: Investigators revealed that the accused in the sexual assault case involving a 16-year-old boy from Kasaragod first came into contact with the minor through a popular LGBTQ dating application. Financial transactions worth several lakhs have also been traced to the crime. So far, 14 cases have been registered at the Chandera Police Station.
Fresh details have emerged in the sexual assault case involving a 16-year-old boy from Kasaragod in Kerala after the police revealed that the accused first came into contact with the minor through Grindr, a popular LGBTQ dating application.
Police are now examining the possibility of initiating legal action against the app.
Police are intensifying their search for the absconding accused in connection with the case. An agent who allegedly connected the accused to the victim is under probe, and investigators suspect more individuals may be involved.
Financial transactions worth several lakhs have also been traced to the crime. Officials further suspect the involvement of certain lodge operators and are collecting evidence from locations where the abuse took place.
So far, 14 cases have been registered at the Chandera Police Station, with 10 from Kasaragod alone. A total of 12 men from Kasaragod, Kannur and Kozhikode have been arrested.
The accused reportedly gave the boy money before sexually abusing him at different locations between late 2023 and September 2025.
Those arrested include Bekal Assistant Educational Officer (AEO) VK Sainuddin, who has since been suspended, while Muslim Youth League leader Sirajuddin has moved for anticipatory bail.
Investigations, led by Kanhangad Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Sunil Kumar and a team of five Circle Inspectors (CIs), revealed that the boy had been subjected to abuse for nearly two years.
The matter surfaced after his mother grew suspicious of men frequently visiting him and later lodged a complaint with the Chandera police. Childline, after recording the boy’s statement, alerted authorities.
The accused allegedly belong to various districts, including Kasaragod, Kannur and Kozhikode. Since five of them are from outside Kasaragod, their cases have been transferred to the respective police stations. Police confirmed that RPF personnel were among the perpetrators.
When South First contacted Kasaragod District Superintendent of Police (SP) Vijay Bharat Reddy, he said that 10 cases have been registered in Kasaragod district so far. Currently, dating apps rely only on self-declaration to confirm whether a user is a minor or an adult. He pointed out that with today’s technology, apps can easily add features to verify age, such as a simple photo-based verification system.
The police are also looking at the possibility of making personal details and ID submission mandatory on such platforms. The investigation is still in its initial stage, and a meeting with DySPs will be held soon to decide further steps.
South First also contacted the Kasaragod Cyber Cell, where officials indicated that this is the first case related to a dating app in the district. Most cybercrime cases they have handled so far involved loan apps, threats, and fraud. They added that action against dating apps mainly lies with the Union Government, as the Ministry of Electronics and IT has the authority. At the state level, the police can only send notices to such apps.
Chandera Police Station CI Prasanth told South First that the investigation is still in its early stage and that further action will be decided after more discussions with the authorities.
Advocate Shoban George of the Kerala High Court told South First that most dating apps depend on self-declaration in their privacy policy. Since this is the first major case linked to a dating app, there are legal complexities involved in mandating age proof or ID checks for users.
Grindr has recently introduced new age-verification features in countries like the UK. The Kerala police and child rights activists are urging for similar or even stricter measures in India to prevent the misuse of such platforms for criminal activities.
A lesbian Grindr user from Kochi pointed out that advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can estimate a user’s age from a selfie, offering another method of validation. She added that the hate directed against Grindr is unnecessary, as the LGBTQ+ community already has far fewer options to find partners compared to heterosexuals. Ensuring security, she stressed, is a more practical solution than imposing bans or spreading hate.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
