Kochi woman joins son, seven juveniles in assaulting 17-year-old over Instagram messages; arrested

Kochi: A 40-year-old woman was arrested in Kochi on Sunday for allegedly joining her son and seven other juveniles in assaulting a 17-year-old boy over a dispute involving obscene Instagram messages. The incident took place at her rented house in Edappally, police said.

The assault reportedly occurred on Friday at the house on Changampuzha Road in Edappally North. The boy sustained injuries, while the accused allegedly recorded the attack on video.

Instagram messages trigger dispute

According to the police, the victim and the woman's son had studied together until Class 10 and are now pursuing Plus Two at different schools.

The boy and some of his friends had created a common Instagram account for online gaming. A few months ago, his mobile phone was damaged, leaving him unable to access the account.

When he recently regained access, he discovered that his friends had allegedly used the account to send obscene messages to several women. He questioned them about the messages, leading to a dispute.
Also read | 'I did not commit the crime': Accused breaks down during evidence collection in Abhiram murder case

Boy called for settlement, allegedly assaulted

On Friday, one of the friends allegedly called the boy to a location in Elamakkara to settle the dispute. He was subsequently taken to the woman's rented house in Edappally.

The woman and seven juveniles allegedly assaulted him there and recorded the incident on video, police said.

The boy initially did not tell his parents about the attack. They later noticed his injuries, questioned him and admitted him to a hospital.

Based on the boy's complaint, Elamakkara police registered a case on Sunday and arrested the woman. A report will be submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board against the seven juveniles involved in the incident, including the woman's son.

The case has been registered under Sections 3(5), 110, 127(2), 189(1)(c), 190, 296(b) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Also read | Death of Infopark employee: Kochi techies demand safer roads, footpaths; HC issues directives

Mother alleges earlier assault too

The victim's mother told reporters that her son had been assaulted previously as well.

She said the family had lodged a police complaint following the earlier incident. The boys were subsequently summoned to the police station, where they assured the authorities that they would not repeat such acts.

The mother alleged that her son was called for a settlement while returning from school before being assaulted.

"They brutally assaulted him and tore his uniform. He came home tired but did not tell us anything. Later, when he was unable to sleep due to pain, I asked him about it and came to know about his injuries and the incident," she said.