Two persons were arrested and charged with the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Bill (POCSO) for kidnapping and sexually assaulting minor sisters in Malappuram. Kidangayath House Basil Baby (23), a native of Nedumbassery in Ernakulam, and Kunnath House Muhammad Rameez (22), a native of Kodungallur, Thrissur, were arrested. The girls were taken to Bengaluru, where they were given alcohol and tortured.

The victims are fourteen- and fifteen-year-old sisters from Kodungallur. They had come to stay at a relative’s house in Wandoor, Malappuram. The children went missing on the 16th of this month, and their mother’s maternal sister complained to the police.

Baby and Rameez allegedly groomed the minor girls through social media. They took the children to Bengaluru, rented a house and stayed for a day. It was there that the teenagers were given alcohol and raped.

By then, Vandoor Sub Inspector of Police (SI) T.P. Mustafa had examined mobile phone locations and received clues about the accused. On the way back, the police took the accused into custody at the Anamari checkpost in Palakkad district. The minors claim they are in love with their assailants.

Baby and Rameez have been charged with sections, including POCSO. The accused were produced before the Manjeri court and remanded.