THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Poojappura police on Tuesday arrested Binoy, a 21-year-old content creator on Instagaram, from Nedumangad in connection with the death of a Plus-II student who was also a social media influencer.
He has been booked under the Pocso Act. A cyber investigation team has been formed to conduct further investigation.
The student attempted suicide at her home on June 10 and passed away on Monday while undergoing treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
She used to frequently collaborate with Binoy to create popular reels. However, their relationship soured four months ago.
According to the girl’s mother, Binoy had allegedly trapped her minor daughter through social media. The police conducted a detailed examination of the mobile phones of both the girl and Binoy and found evidence to support her mother’s statement, following which he was arrested.
The relatives of the girl said that after their breakup, Binoy’s followers harassed her on social media platforms, causing her mental distress. She also faced academic struggles recently as she had failed two subjects in her Plus-II examinations.
“Voice messages, allegedly from the girl’s friends, suggest that her parents had scolded her for failing her exams and spending excessive time creating reels. The investigation is progressing, we cannot jump to conclusions at this point,” said police sources.
The girl’s father told the media that he has strong suspicions that Binoy is responsible for his daughter’s death. He has called for a thorough investigation to reveal the truth and said he doesn’t believe that cyberbullying alone was the cause of her death.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. In case you feel distressed by the content or know someone in distress, call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7).