3 students, college management booked in Udupi voyeurism incident

Malpe Police Sub-Inspector G.B. Sushma registered the FIR. She had visited the Institute on July 20 after hearing about a protest by students. She learned that three girl students had captured a video of a second-year diploma student in the washroom on July 18 afternoon.

Following widespread criticism over the way the alleged voyeurism case in a paramedical college was handled, the Udupi police, on July 25, took up a suo motu case under different provisions of the IPC and IT Act against the three girl students and the college management.

Malpe Police Sub-Inspector G.B. Sushma filed the FIR in her station against Shabnaz, Alfia and Aleema, and the institute under Sections 509 (acts intended to outrage modesty of woman), 204 (destruction of evidence), 175 (omission to produce document or electronic record) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 66 (E) (capturing, publishing or transmitting the image of private area of any person) of the Information Technology Act. The three girls are in the second year of a diploma course in optometry at Netra Jyothi Institute of Allied Health Sciences at Kadekar.

The PSI visited the Institute on July 20 after hearing about a protest by students. She learned that three girl students had captured a video of a second-year diploma student in the washroom on July 18 afternoon. Upon being confronted by the victim, the three girls apologised and deleted the video. The institute confiscated their mobile phone handsets but none filed a police complaint, Ms. Sushma said.

On July 25, the principal of Netra Jyothi Institute of Allied Health Sciences informed mediapersons in Udupi that the three students had admitted to recording a video of a girl. Bases on their admission, the principal had suspended the trio. The incident becomes a cognizable offence and therefore, the PSI said, the three students as well as the institute management were responsible for the offences mentioned in the FIR.

Another suo motu case has been registered for posting an edited video, claiming to be visuals of the victim captured by the three students, on One India You Tube channel. The link of the video was shared by Kal Singh Chauhan on his Twitter account. Police claim that he is spreading false information, causing unrest in society.