Hidden camera in college washroom: Udupi SP urges public not to believe rumours

Udupi district police have urged the public not to believe rumours regarding news circulating in social media that a hidden camera was placed in the washroom of a private college in Udupi by female students of a particular community.

Addressing reporters in Udupi, District Superintendent of Police Hakay Akshay Machhindra said a clarification has been issued through the police social media handles about people linking some issues that occurred in other places with the reported incident in Udupi.

Attempts are being made to create confusion by sharing unverified information on social media platforms, he said.

He added that the police department has no information regarding any such video circulating. Moreover, they have not received any reports about any hidden camera being placed in the college, he said.

The college management has taken disciplinary action at their level, the SP told the media, and the victim too has informed the college management that a video was made for fun and later deleted, and not circulated.

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Machhindra said the purported video has not been circulated anywhere. In case anyone finds the video, they can bring it to our notice, he said.

Speaking about the police visit to Rashmi Samant, a twitter user and native of Udupi, he said the police wanted to verify the authenticity of the Twitter account through which a tweet was posted with the rumours about students of a particular community.

Police has not registered any complaint as there is no clue about the incident to file a suo motu case, the SP said.

Meanwhile, addressing a press meet, college director Rashmi Krishna Prasad said as soon as the management learned about the incident, an enquiry was held. Based on the investigations, students have been suspended as part of disciplinary action for bringing mobile phones to college, which is against the rules.

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She said the students have also apologised for their actions. The police, who were informed, reached the college and an investigation was carried out in the presence of the parents of students involved. The mobile phones of students have been handed over to police, she said.

She said the students have clearly stated that it was only for fun that a video was made, and that they submitted an apology.

Later talking to reporters, Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna urged the police department to register a suo motu case against the students who allegedly kept hidden cameras in the washroom.

He told reporters that the three students have brought disrepute to the district, which is an educational hub, and he claimed that he suspected the role of unseen hands behind the act. The matter will be brought to the notice of the chief minister and home minister, he said.

(With agency inputs)