Investigation Launched into Video Recording Incidents in Women’s Washrooms at Hyderabad Engineering College Following Student Protests

Hyderabad, Jan 2 (NationPress) Following extensive protests by female students of a private engineering institution concerning purported video recordings in hostel bathrooms, local authorities registered a case and commenced an investigation on Thursday.

CMR Engineering College, located in Medchal on the outskirts of Hyderabad, experienced significant unrest with protests that persisted until 2 a.m. on Wednesday night.

The Medchal police took action after receiving a complaint from the students, leading to the apprehension of five mess workers for questioning.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Srinivas Reddy, the police confiscated 12 mobile devices from these workers.

"Up to this point, we have not discovered any proof of video recordings. No explicit videos have been found on their phones, but we are investigating whether any videos may have been erased," he stated.

The ACP confirmed that a complaint was lodged by the students, resulting in the filing of a case.

Additionally, a case of negligence was filed against the college management, as the mess workers were assigned rooms adjacent to the bathrooms, granting them access to the bathroom ventilator.

"Although we have not found any concrete evidence, there remains a level of suspicion," the ACP remarked.

It was reported that a student noticed a shadowy figure and alerted the warden, but the lack of response led to the students organizing a protest, fearing that their videos might have been recorded.

The demonstrators chanted slogans demanding justice. Leaders from various student unions, including the ABVP, joined the protest, which extended into the early hours of the morning. ABVP representatives called for accountability from the college management, accusing them of blackmailing female students. They cautioned that if any recordings surfaced online, former minister and MLA Malla Reddy, the college owner, would be held responsible.

The police have enlisted fingerprint experts to examine the imprints found on the glass of the ventilator, aiming to determine if they match the fingerprints of any of the workers.

The ACP urged parents not to be alarmed by rumors suggesting that 150-300 videos were recorded.

The police also interrogated the management regarding the employment of male workers in the women’s hostel. The management explained that due to the physical demands of cooking, male workers were necessary, while female workers were hired for food supply. The mess workers are from outside the state.

The ACP asserted that should any evidence be uncovered, both criminal charges against the workers and action against the management would follow.