A series of complaints lodged by women in various districts of north Kerala has revealed a disturbing pattern of cyber-exploitation involving the morphing and dissemination of photographs of young women allegedly originating from social media platforms. Police in Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode are now conducting a joint investigation following reports that such images are often altered and traded through clandestine online groups.
The matter gained public attention after a woman in Kozhikode complained that her photos downloaded from Instagram were altered and circulated through Telegram groups. Based on her petition, the Parappanagadi police in Malappuram registered a case against the Kozhikode native. Preliminary findings indicated that the accused sold the images to multiple online groups.
Published – 29 Apr 2026 21:20 IST
