Thrissur (Keralam) | The Kerala child rights panel has registered a case on its own into the suicide of a minor boy in this central district following allegations by his father that police harassment drove him to take the extreme step.

In a statement on Tuesday, Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights said the boy's father, Noushad, had accused the Kodungallur police of implicating his son in a false case over a romantic relationship and subjecting him to physical and mental harassment.

In a social media post, Noushad alleged that his elder son had confessed to the offence because he could not bear to see the police allegedly harassing his younger brother.

He claimed that the police had kept his elder son in custody for nearly three days before producing him before a court, while the minor was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.

According to media reports, the minor, a resident of Eriyad in Kodungallur, died by suicide after visiting his elder brother, who was lodged in jail. The visit took place after the minor's release from an observation home, the commission said.

The commission took cognisance of the matter on its own based on media reports and sought reports from the Thrissur District Police Chief and the District Child Protection Officer, it said.

The allegations against the police have not been independently verified.