Kollam: The Kulathupuzha police have arrested a couple, Vishnu (31) and Sweety (20), on charges of assaulting a minor girl and selling the footage on social media. They are booked under the POCSO Act.

According to the police, Vishnu met the 15-year-old girl through Instagram and later took her to his home, where he subjected her to assault. His wife Sweety collaborated on this and recorded the assault on her mobile phone. Shockingly, the couple sold the captured footage on Instagram, using a separate account dedicated to this purpose.

Despite marrying Sweety in July 2022, Vishnu continued his contact with the girl. They even rented a house near the girl's house. With the promise that Sweety would help with her tuition, the couple attracted the girl to their home.

They started a special Instagram account to sell these videos. They charged between Rs 50 to Rs 500 per photo and up to Rs 1,500 for videos.

The girl, after noticing the footage circulating on social media, confided in a friend. The friend immediately informed the teacher, and a complaint was lodged with Childline. Kulathupuzha police acted swiftly, recording the child's statement and registering a case. The accused couple was subsequently arrested.

The police are identifying those who bought videos from the accused and will apprehend them as well. The bank account details of the accused are also being verified. The couple has been remanded for 14 days after being produced in court.