UDUPI: Days after the incident where three girls of a medical college in Udupi allegedly filmed fellow students in the washroom at a paramedical college, the Udupi Police have registered two separate FIRs in the case.
BJP district president Kuilady Suresh Naik, addressing a press conference, said there is a suspicion that it was not an isolated incident and that it may have be going on for seven or eight months.
“The police have put pressure on the victims not to reveal the truth. This is a more heinous act than the hijab controversy. Muslim youths are co-opting Muslim girls in the act. This is just like ‘The Kerala Story’ and brings a bad image for Udupi. The attitude of the police department is not right and they should investigate the incident without bias and a special investigation team should be formed. The BJP will hold a protest in the district on Friday condemning this incident” he said.
Kuiladi Suresh Naik questioned why the Congress was backing the Muslim students and not the victims. “Those girls possess expensive mobile phones worth about Rs 1 lakh. An SIT should investigate this too. If the state government does not do it, we will draw the attention of the Centre. This is not a joke. It might be happening for seven or eight months and is a serious matter”, he stressed.
He alleged that the Home Minister is misleading the police in this case. “This is not a small issue as Parameshwara says”, said Suresh Naik.
BJP MLA Yashpal Suvarna an FIR was registered said a week later in the case. He insisted that the police should seize the mobile phones of the three accused girls and recover deleted photos and videos. “There is a forensic lab in Hyderabad. Section of law should be added in the case as per the instructions of the Women’s Commission. The state and Centre should investigate jointly”, he emphasised.
“Footage of 10 days from CCTVs of 10 days of college should be obtained. Why did the police even let out information about the cyber crime in college? We are getting a lot of information in this regard and we are collecting more details even from home”, said Yashpal Suvarna.
Former member of the Women’s Commission, Shyamala Kunder, said, “I have informed the National Commission in this regard. NCW member and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar is visiting Udupi to conduct an inquiry. Girls should realise that the victims are also girls before committing such crimes. The government should take stern action and such sensitive issues should not be politicised”.
In Bengaluru, former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said, “The police are not taking any action. They wanted to take action against the girl who raised the alarm, rather than against the culprits. After a hue and cry, they have lodged an FIR. The state government is saying it is fake news. If that is so, why were three girls suspended, and why did they write an apology letter? The police have failed, they are under tremendous political pressure. I urge them to work without any political pressure”.