Kerala Crime Against Women & Children — July 2026 Monthly Report
During July 2026, Kerala reported a wide range of incidents involving women and children, including sexual offences, domestic and family violence, physical assaults, harassment, cyber-enabled abuse, and crimes against elderly women. The reported cases highlight the continued vulnerability of women and children across different settings, while police investigations, arrests, and judicial proceedings were reported in several cases.
During the reporting period (01–31 July 2026), Kerala reported incidents involving sexual offences against minors, sexual harassment and assault of women, domestic and family-related violence, physical assaults, suspicious deaths, digital abuse, and crimes against elderly women. Crimes involving children and adolescents, particularly POCSO-related cases, formed a prominent part of the month’s reported incidents. The month also included several cases involving women facing violence or threats within domestic, family, public-transport, and other settings.
A significant pattern during July was the continued vulnerability of minors to sexual abuse. Reports included alleged sexual assault of minor girls in Kasaragod, Pathanamthitta, Kannur and Kochi, multiple POCSO cases in Kasaragod, the sentencing of a bus conductor for assaulting a minor in Thiruvananthapuram, and a conviction of a private bus driver and cleaner in a POCSO case in Kozhikode. The Kerala High Court also dealt with a POCSO sexual-assault case and permitted medical termination of pregnancy for a 14-year-old rape survivor.
Domestic and family-related violence was another recurring concern. July reports included an alleged attempted murder of a wife in Kozhikode, a fatal domestic homicide in Kothamangalam, a woman allegedly attacked by her live-in partner in Thiruvananthapuram, and the death of a woman in Thiruvananthapuram whose husband was questioned by police. Cases involving elderly women were also reported, including the suspected murder of women in Thrissur and Palakkad and an allegation of assault involving an elderly woman at the Kerala Secretariat.
The month also showed concerns around violence and harassment in public and institutional settings. A woman was allegedly sexually assaulted during an attempted robbery in Perumbavoor, an autorickshaw driver was arrested for an alleged attempted sexual assault of a woman in Ernakulam, a KSRTC employee was arrested over alleged sexual harassment of a passenger, and two men were arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a woman following a road accident in Thiruvananthapuram. Educational settings also appeared in the reports, including cases involving alleged physical punishment of students and a POCSO conviction involving private bus staff.
Digital and technology-related abuse also emerged as a notable issue. A Thrissur man was booked for allegedly creating and distributing morphed obscene images of women, while additional cybercrime cases were registered in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the alleged image-morphing of female medical students. These cases highlight the continued presence of technology-facilitated abuse alongside more traditional forms of violence against women.
The month also recorded considerable police and judicial action. Several accused persons were arrested or cases were registered following complaints, while courts issued convictions and sentences in POCSO and other cases. Kerala courts also handled several significant legal proceedings involving sexual assault, including the actress assault case, the Nava Kerala Yatra assault case, and other sexual-harassment proceedings.
Key findings