Youth held for allegedly raping transwoman in Kochi
On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the Palarivattom police in Kochi arrested a 21-year-old man named Muhammed Shafil from Tanur in Malappuram. Shafil is accused of raping and blackmailing a transwoman. According to prosecutors, Shafil befriended the survivor through social media and allegedly engaged in sexual assault, recording visuals, and demanding a ransom of ₹1.18 lakh by threatening to publish the videos online.
The alleged incident took place in July, and Shafil was reportedly out on bail for another case involving a child. The Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court ordered his detention in judicial custody for 14 days.
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