Pocso cases in Karnataka surge by 26% in two years, raising alarms over child safety
Bengaluru: In a concerning trend, the number of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act in Karnataka has surged by nearly 26% over the past two years, signalling an alarming rise in child abuse incidents.
Data presented in the Legislative Council, as cited by Deccan Herald on Tuesday, reveals a disturbing escalation in cases from 3,209 in 2022 to 4,064 in 2024. The current year shows no signs of easing, with 2,544 cases recorded as of mid-2025.
Despite the increase in reported cases, the conviction rate remains worryingly low. Nearly one-third of Pocso cases, or even more, end in acquittals.
The low convictions were mostly due to reluctance by parents to pursue cases. “Since children are involved, many parents do not wish to pursue the case for long or reveal identities. Many opt to settle it outside the court and go for a compromise. Hence, the conviction rate could be low,” DH quoted Nagannagowda, chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, as saying.
He further elaborated that to combat this, the state has set up dedicated teams, including counsellors at the district level, who provide victims and their families with legal support and counselling to ensure justice is pursued.
A senior police officer also pointed out that in some instances, the accused are family members, leading to additional pressure on the parents to withdraw the case.
In response to the growing concerns, Home Minister G. Parameshwara informed the Karnataka Legislative Council that the government has implemented a range of measures to prevent child sexual abuse and raise awareness. These initiatives include educating children on identifying “good touch” versus “bad touch,” encouraging the installation of CCTV cameras in playgrounds and parks, and promoting awareness of the Pocso Act among children, parents, and teachers.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
