In Yadgir, a Class 9 student of a government residential school delivers a baby in the school toilet
In Raichur, police arrest a man for sexually assaulting a minor girl he had unlawfully married weeks earlier
In Mangaluru, seven men in the net for allegedly gang-raping a minor college student, recording the crime, and circulating the video online
All these incidents were reported within a week, raising concern over children’s safety in the state, and pointing to a disturbing surge in crimes against minors.
These incidents are not isolated. They reflect wider pressures on Karnataka’s child protection system. As per data available with TNIE from the Karnataka State Police’s Crime Records Bureau, 5,471 crimes against children were recorded in 2020. These cases went up to 7,251 in 2021 and 7,988 in 2022. In 2023, 7,654 cases were reported in the state, and in 2025, till July, the state has reported 5,202 cases.
Crimes against children include cases under the POCSO Act, Child Marriage Act, Juvenile Justice Act, kidnapping and abduction of children, technology-driven crimes and even child labour cases.
Teenage pregnancies
As per data from the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) website belonging to Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), over 25,436 teenage pregnancies (ages 14-19) were reported in the state between April 2024 and February 2025. The number stood at 39,711 in 2023-23, 31,011 in 2024-25 and from January to July 31, 2025, over 10,091 teenage pregnancies were reported.
Though the numbers suggest a decline in overall teen pregnancies, experts and public health observers caution that many 18-19-year-olds who present themselves as major, may have conceived when they were minors.
Child marriages: An avenue for abuse
The increasing number of child marriage cases in recent years can be linked to teen pregnancies and POCSO cases. While the government recently decided to criminalise even engagement of minors through the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2025, enforcement still hinges on vigilance and community networks. In 2023, 141 cases were reported in the state under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, and in 2024, it was 152 cases. In the first seven months of 2025, 123 cases were registered.
Technology has emerged as a double-edged sword in the fight involving crimes against children, with online spaces increasingly being exploited for abuse. There is a steep pandemic-era jump in cyber-crimes involving children, including sharing of sexual content and online grooming. Increased device time and exposure to sexual content are major threats.
There are cases of minors reportedly being lured by strangers through social media, subjected to sextortion, or coerced into sharing explicit images. Police say there is a sharp rise in cybercrimes involving children, particularly in the circulation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and online grooming.
Experts warn that excessive screen time -- often linked to anxiety, depression and impulsive behaviour -- further heightens vulnerability, making children easy prey for predators and pushing some toward risky online conduct.
Where is the law moving?
While the state’s new legislative and administrative moves are notable, with criminalisation of minor betrothals closing a cultural loophole, there is a need to scale up many of its programmes, including Mission Suraksha, and district-wise data-sharing on POCSO and teen pregnancy cases.
There are, however, capacity gaps which keep surfacing, especially in police sensitivity and integrity.
A recent case in Bengaluru is an example, where under the Lokayukta’s watch, a police officer was caught taking a bribe to ensure progress in a POCSO charge sheet. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are many complaints of delayed FIRs and weak deterrence. Even KSCPCR’s own consultation wing notes that child-friendly police stations are unevenly functional.
‘Need for constant sensitisation’
Naganna Gowda, chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR), said that several concrete measures are being taken up across the state to address rising concerns related to crimes against children. He said that apart from routine monitoring, regular progress review meetings are being held at both the taluk and district levels to ensure accountability and timely interventions.
“There is a growing need for constant sensitisation, and therefore, we are conducting awareness programmes in schools, colleges and community spaces so that parents, teachers and children themselves are well-informed about potential risks,” he said.
Gowda pointed out that the increasing penetration of smartphones and social media platforms has created new challenges for child safety. “We are implementing preventive and corrective steps, ranging from counselling services to collaboration and child helpline networks, to ensure quick responses,” he said.