MALAPPURAM: In a shocking incident, a nine-year-old boy was raped by a 36-year-old woman near Thenhippalam here in the district. Thenhippalam police have registered a case and started a probe in the incident. The accused is close relative of the boy.

According to the

authorities, the victim was facing sexual abuse for more than a year.

The incident came to light last week after the boy revealed the details of the sexual abuse to a doctor when he was taken to a local clinic for consultation. After receiving information regarding the sexual abuse, the Childline authorities recorded the boy's statement and forwarded the complaint to police.

Thenhippalam police have registered case under Sections 5 and 6 of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to the Childline coordinator of

, Anwar Karakkadan, the accused is boy’s aunt (wife of his father's brother). “We have confirmed that the boy was sexually harassed by the woman for several months and the boy's mental health is not in a good condition now”, he said, adding that the authorities have confirmed the offence and that he was raped several times as per his statement. The boy’s house is situated adjacent to the house of accused.

Sub-inspector of Thenhippalam police, Binu Thomas said that the case was registered based on the boy's statement given to the childline authorities and the details of the incidents can be revealed only through a thorough investigation. “We have learnt that there was a dispute over other issues between the family of victim and the accused. We have to examine whether the allegations have any connection with the family dispute. Police will record statement of accused in the coming days”, sub-inspector said.

In a similar incident occurred recently, a woman had been arrested in Kaladi of

for sexually abusing a nine-year-old boy who has cancer.