Kochi: The Ernakulam Rural Cyber Police have launched an investigation after a 26-year-old woman alleged that her photograph was used without her consent in a matrimonial advertisement circulated on a WhatsApp community.

An FIR has been registered against an unidentified person who allegedly runs a matrimonial establishment. The complainant, a native of Elamkunnapuzha in Ernakulam, told police that a photograph she had originally posted on Instagram was downloaded, altered and used without her knowledge.

According to the complaint, the edited image was shared in a WhatsApp group named ‘Vivahalochanakal-3’ (Marriage Proposals-3). The accused allegedly circulated the photograph along with false personal information and a contact number through the WhatsApp community, creating the impression that it was a genuine matrimonial profile.

The woman alleged that the images were published without her permission. She came to know about the advertisement only later, after which she approached the police seeking legal action.

She initially filed a complaint with the City Cyber Police, where her statement was recorded. The City Cyber Police registered a zero FIR before transferring the case to the Ernakulam Rural Cyber Police, which has now taken over the investigation.

The police have booked the unidentified accused under relevant provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act, including offences related to cheating by personation using electronic means, identity theft and the unauthorised use of another person’s identity through digital platforms.

Police sources said the investigation is still at a preliminary stage. Efforts are underway to trace and identify the person behind the alleged misuse of the woman’s photograph and the matrimonial advertisement.