 "Hidden bathroom camera in girls’ hostel, 300 videos found: The big scandal involving Andhra college")
In an unsettling development, a hidden camera was found in the women’s hostel toilet at an Andhra Pradesh engineering college on Thursday.
According to officials, the camera had been secretly recording the students, and those recordings had been sold to some students after being leaked.
Here’s all we know about it.
The incident
Students and the surrounding community are furious over what happened at Gudlavalleru Engineering College in the Krishnan district.
Thursday evening, a group of female students discovered the hidden camera in their toilet, which caused immediate panic and concern, according to NDTV.
A case has been registered and the police have arrested a senior student from the boys’ hostel, identified as Vijay Kumar, a BTech final year student, in connection with the incident.
A hidden camera has been reportedly found inside the washroom of a girls' hostel in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district.
— Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) August 30, 2024
The hostel was for the students of SR Gudlavalleru Engineering College, where massive protests have now erupted.
The police have identified the accused as… pic.twitter.com/Pebp1ZEl6d
His laptop has been taken into custody, and more investigation is being carried out.
Some students reportedly bought these tapes from Vijay after over 300 photos and videos from the women’s hostel restroom were leaked, as per News18.
According to the police, the investigation is ongoing and they have not yet determined whether more students assisted with the setup of the camera and the dissemination of the videos.
The protests
Many female students are disturbed about the spy camera’s presence and the eventual release of private videos.
Some people have even avoided the area completely due to their fear and discomfort when using the restrooms.
Dear Indians 🙏🏻,
— Chaitanya Reddy (@ltsChaitanya) August 30, 2024
We need your attention, Andhra Pradesh ain't in safe hands.‼️
A scandalous incident has come to light at Gudlavalleru College of Engineering in Gudivada, where a hidden camera was discovered in the hostel washroom, secretly recorded 300 videos and sold to boys. pic.twitter.com/YDL3Jr4ntH
The information caused a ruckus when students organised a protest at about 7 pm.
They were demanding answers and accountability, and their chants of “We want justice” reverberated around the campus, according to NDTV.
The Economic Times reports that after police were sent to ease tensions, protesters didn’t leave until after 3:30 in the morning.
Authorities’ response
The Telugu Desam Party announced that Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has demanded an investigation into the incident.
“The Chief Minister has ordered an inquiry into the concern of the students about the presence of hidden cameras in the hostel. He has ordered the District Collector and SP to go to the spot immediately along with District Minister, Kollu Ravindra,” a rough translation of the party’s post in the regional language stated, as per News18.
The party’s General Secretary and the Chief Minister’s son, Nara Lokesh, wrote, “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 added.
former police officer VV Lakshmi Narayana also demanded strict action on X, by saying, “The Gudlavalleru Engineering College incident involving spy cameras in a women’s hostel is highly deplorable and a severe breach of privacy. Such incidents demand urgent and strict action."
She added, “The police must thoroughly investigate and bring the culprits to justice. Additionally, like the legislation in Uttar Pradesh, there is a need for new laws to regulate social media and digital platforms, ensuring that such violations are prevented and swiftly punished.”
Similar incident
Earlier this month, a secret camera was reportedly discovered in the washroom of Third Wave Coffee, a well-known coffee chain, in Bengaluru.
An employee allegedly put a smartphone in the dustbin can in the women’s restroom to record videos, according to Hindustan Times.
A content creator found the camera in the bag with a hole in it and claimed that it had been shooting videos for around two hours.
The woman found the phone and reported it to the staff at the café, who recognised it as one of their own. The police were called to the spot.
The firm said that they had started legal action against the concerned employee after the incident raised serious concerns about safety and privacy.
“The safety and well-being of our customers is always our priority. With regard to the isolated incident that occurred at BEL Road Cafe on August 10, the person under question has been immediately terminated. We have a stringent zero-tolerance policy and have initiated necessary legal action against him. We will work closely with the concerned authorities for appropriate action,” the chain told Hindustan Times.
Quick tips to detect hidden camera
First, use the simplest and least expensive means possible to inspect rooms: the “naked eye” to find anything suspicious.
Using the Wi-Fi network on the property to locate hidden cameras is another simple method. Enter your login credentials and navigate to the settings to see the wireless network and check if you can find all the connected devices. You can try using third-party apps like Fing or the Wireless Network Watcher if these options aren’t available.
Bluetooth is another way to simply check what other devices it can pick up when you set it on pairing mode.
A radio frequency detector is another option; it will beep when it gets near a spycam.
A simple lens detector is low-cost, portable, and easy to operate. It emits infrared light, which a camera lens would reflect back as a red dot.
With inputs from agencies
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