On Thursday (29th August), protests broke out at the campus of SR Gudlavalleru Engineering College in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh after a hidden camera was discovered inside the washroom of the girl’s hostel.
In visuals that have surfaced on social media, the female students at the hostel were heard chanting ‘We want justice’ and demanding strict action against the culprit.
According to reports, the accused was identified as Vijay Kumar, a final-year-student of the SR Gudlavalleru Engineering College. The police have seized his laptop and recovered over 300 obscene videos. Kumar has now been arrested.
A troubling incident happened at Gudlavalleru College of Engineering in Gudivada, Andhra Pradesh.
— Vineeth K (@DealsDhamaka) August 30, 2024
A hidden camera was discovered in the hostel washroom on the evening of August 29, 2024. It is reported that over 300 videos were recorded and sold to the boys in the hostel.
💔… pic.twitter.com/hrJ2KtDuNb
It is suspected that the accused sold the videos to other students. Following an upheaval over the crime, Andhra Pradesh CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu ordered an inquiry into the case.
In a statement, TDP leader Nara Lokesh stated, “I asked the authorities for details about the protest of female students at Gudlavalleru Engineering College of Krishna District. I have ordered an inquiry into the allegations of hidden cameras.”
“Strict action will be taken against the culprits and those responsible if it is found that they have committed a mistake in the investigation. Managers should take early steps without ragging and harassment in colleges,” he emphasised.
కృష్ణా జిల్లా గుడ్లవల్లేరు ఇంజినీరింగ్ కళాశాలలో అర్ధరాత్రి విద్యార్థినుల ఆందోళనపై అధికారులను వివరాలు అడిగి తెలుసుకున్నాను. హిడెన్ కెమెరాల ఆరోపణలపై విచారణకు ఆదేశించాను. విచారణలో తప్పు చేశారని తేలితే దోషులు, బాధ్యులపై కఠిన చర్యలు తప్పవు. ఇటువంటి ఘటనలు కాలేజీల్లో పునరావృతం కాకుండా…
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) August 30, 2024
It remains unknown whether students other than Vijay Kumar were involved in setting up the camera, recording the female students of the college and distributing the obscene videos.
The disturbing case is reminiscent of the infamous ‘Udupi bathroom case’ of 2023 when three students, namely, Shabanaz, Alfiya and Alimath Ul Safa secretly recorded their Hindu classmate using washroom and then deleted the video to destroy evidence.