Malpe police register suo motu case in paramedical college washroom incident case

UDUPI: More than a week after the incident wherein a mobile phone was secretly kept in the women’s washroom of a private paramedical college here to shoot videos of girls, the Malpe police have registered a suo motu FIR against three girls and the college authorities in the case under various IPC sections and the IT Act, including for destroying evidence.

The police had conducted inquiries at the college last week.

According to the FIR lodged by police sub-inspector Sushma G Bhandari, the officer visited the college on receiving information about students staging a protest on the college campus in the afternoon on June 20. On inquiry, it was found out that on July 18, between 2.30 and 3 pm, a second-year student of diploma in operation theatre course entered the women’s washroom and three other second-year girls of the diploma in optometry course, who were planning to shoot her video, mistakenly shot the video of another student.

The FIR further states that when the girl came to know about the video, the three girls deleted the video in her presence and apologised for it. On July 19, the college authorities confiscated the phones of all the three students, but no one came forward to lodge a complaint. On July 25, the college management held a press conference wherein it was stated that the three girls were suspended after they admitted to shooting the video and offered an apology, it said.

I got a call a few hours ago, that an FIR had been filed. My first thought was that the police had filed an FIR against me and not the culprits due to their behaviour so far. Unfortunately that's how I feel in Karnataka. Like a fugitive for speaking the truth.

FYI : An FIR has…

— Rashmi Samant (@RashmiDVS) July 26, 2023

The sub-inspector noted in the FIR that shooting such a video is a serious crime and outrages the dignity and modesty of a woman and also intrudes on privacy. Hence, a case has been registered against the three girls and the college authorities for deleting the videos, the FIR said. The case has been registered under Sections 509, 204, 175, 34 of IPC and 66(E) of the IT act.

A second FIR was also filed in connection with uploading of an edited video on YouTube channels and posted by an individual on his Twitter account. The police have alleged that it was used to spread fake news and communal hatred on social media.

NCW team to conduct inquiry

National Women’s Commission member Khushbu Sundar is expected to arrive in Udupi later today and conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Kushbhu Sundar tweeted “Heading to Udupi to look into the issue where girls were filmed in a washroom by their fellow girl college mates. It is extremely saddening to see children indulging in such activities. As a @NCWIndia member, I will be looking into the matter, speaking with the students, meeting the cops and visiting the college too. Nobody can play around with the dignity of women”.