Study reveals rising cases of online sexual exploitation of children in Karnataka
BENGALURU: According to a state-level study conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) in collaboration with Child Fund India a growing number of children in Karnataka are becoming vulnerable to online sexual exploitation and abuse, while most parents, teachers and even government officials remain ill-equipped to address or prevent such risks. The study released on Friday, shows growing concerns over children’s online safety, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw increased unsupervised internet usage.
The report was made public by Basavaraj Horatti, Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. It included 903 students in the districts of Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Raichur, Chikkamagaluru and Belagavi who were enrolled in school and between the ages of 8 and 18. The study employed multi-stage random sampling with six schools from each district, with 30 students from each school participating, representing three age groups: 8–11, 12–14, and 15–18 years.
The findings indicate that with approximately 10% (17% of boys and 4% of girls) having met those strangers in person, one in six teenagers reported having interacted with strangers online in the past year. Children from rural areas (12%) were slightly more likely than their urban counterparts (9%) to meet strangers offline. The report also revealed that 1% of children admitted to sharing intimate photos or videos with online strangers, while 7% disclosed personal information such as full names, phone numbers, addresses, personal photographs, and videos.
Teenagers aged 15 to 18 were identified as the most vulnerable group to unsafe online interactions. About 5% within this age bracket reported feeling unsafe or embarrassed due to their online experiences, with Instagram accounting for 77% of these incidents. While in 53% of the cases, the perpetrator was a stranger, 35% involved known individuals and 12% involved both. Only 34% of parents took formal action like approaching law enforcement despite these alarming statistics. The majority chose instead to block offenders or delete conversations without reporting the incidents.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
