Kerala capital to get special court to try POCSO cases

A special court, dealing with cases related to violence and sexual harassment against children and women, will be opened here tomorrow.

The court, which will be opened at the district court complex, is envisaged to ensure speedy and effective trial in such cases in view of increasing atrocities against women and children in the society.

It is the second such special court in the state to deal with crimes against children and women after the one in Ernakulam.

The special courts have been set up under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

Kerala High Court judge Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan, will formally open the court at a function here tomorrow.

In the initial phase, the court will consider as many as 1,275 cases dealing with atrocities against children, which are now pending in various courts in the district, Principal Sessions Judge V Shircy said.

Cases related to the crimes against women would also be considered by the new court, the judge said adding that its core focus is the cases coming under POCSO Act.

Unlike the conventional courts, parents or guardians would be allowed along with the victim-children during the trial in the special court. No question that hurts the feeling of children and parents would be allowed there, the judge said.

According to Kerala Police statistics, as many as 1569 cases have been registered under POCSO Act in the state in 2015.

Northern district of Malappuram, where 182 crimes against children were reported during the period, topped the list, while Ernakulam city reported the least at 50, the figures said.