Girl filmed in Udupi college washroom, people allege Ajmer-like scandal, but police scotch the bid

Girl filmed in Udupi college washroom, people allege Ajmer-like scandal, but police scotch the bid

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 25, 2023: A girl was secretly filmed by fellow students in the women’s washroom of a Para Medical College in Udupi. Following the incident, three girl students who had allegedly placed secret cameras in women’s washroom, were suspended by the college authorities.

According to reports, three girls, identified as Shaifa, Shabanaz and Aliya had allegedly placed mobile phone cameras in the women’s washrooms in a bid film other girls using toilets or taking a shower.

The incident triggered protests by students at the institute as they demanded strict action against the accused for violating their privacy. The three accused students were later suspended by management for bringing mobile phones to college and used the devices to film another student in the washroom.

Meanwhile, as the news vent viral on social media networks, some users have drawn parallels with the infamous 1992 Ajmer sex scandal. A notorious incident in the early 1990s where hundreds of school and college girls were allegedly gangraped by men belonging to the minority community after purportedly blackmailing them with nude photos.

In a series of tweets, Rashmi Samant, a human rights worker, drew parallels between the Udipi case and the Ajmer scandal. She claimed that “unsuspecting” girls were blackmailed with naked photographs were disturbed and pushed towards ending their lives.

Samant cooked up a conspiracy theory, alleging that such voyeuristic photos and videos shared in WhatsApp Groups in order to blackmail the unwary girls, adding that the issue does not receive enough condemnation and isn’t viewed “with the severity it deserved”.

Other users also chimed in on the alleged conspiracy, terming the Udupi case as ‘Ajmer 1992 Part 2’ and ‘Udupi Files’.

Some users on the other hand simply called it a case of bad behaviour and bullying by some students who were then appropriately suspended by the college management for their transgressions.

Police stepped in to scotch speculation about the incident, and to nip in the bud any attempt to communalise the incident. They visited Samant’s residence in Udupi, but found that she was not present.

Udupi’s Superintendent of Police, Hakay Akshay Machchindra, has dismissed rumors circulating on social media regarding the incident. He clarified that there is no evidence of hidden cameras or any such devices being used in the situation. Additionally, there is no truth to the speculations about photos and videos being exploited for blackmail purposes. Both the police and their sources are unaware of any such activities, and there is no trace of the video being circulated on social media.

Machchindra cautioned against linking unrelated incidents from other places to the Udupi case and emphasized that the police have already issued clarifications through their official social media channels. He expressed concern about the confusion created among the public due to the dissemination of unverified information on social media platforms. He assured that the video has not been shared anywhere, but if anyone does come across it, they should promptly report it to the authorities.

Regarding the police visit to Rashmi Samanth’s residence, a Twitter user from Udupi who drew parallels between the Udupi incident and the Ajmer sex scandal of 1992, Machchindra clarified that the purpose was to verify the authenticity of her Twitter account. He made it clear that no FIR or complaint had been filed, and there was no basis for initiating a case suo motu. The college management had already taken disciplinary action, accepting the explanation from the girls involved that they had engaged in the activity for fun and had deleted the videos.

In light of the situation, the SP urged the public not to share any unverified information related to the incident on social media. He encouraged citizens to report any relevant information they come across to the police department.

College director Rashmi clarified the issue, stating that mobiles are not allowed on campus. After the incident, an inquiry was conducted, leading to the suspension of students involved in the issue. The students have clearly stated that the video was made for fun only. The students involved have also submitted an apology for their actions. She urged the public not to spread falsehoods or misinformation on social media and emphasized that the college does not support anyone involved in the matter.

The incident seems to have provided an opportunity for certain social media users to exaggerate the situation. The police have taken prompt action, but it remains to be seen whether Udupi flares up again like it has done in the past.