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Bengaluru Police arrests man who allegedly filmed and posted the videos of women in metro
Accused captured images of women on Bengaluru metro, raising concerns over privacy and safety.
Bengaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old man accused of operating an Instagram account that posted intrusive photos and videos of women traveling on the city’s Namma Metro network without their consent.
The accused, identified as Diganth from Haveri district in Karnataka, was taken into custody on Friday from the Peenya area of Bengaluru. His arrest comes two days after an FIR was registered in connection with the now-deleted Instagram handle "@metro_chicks" — an account that drew public outrage for uploading voyeuristic content.
Confirming the development, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Lokesh B Jagalasar said, “Preliminary investigation reveals that the man works in the accounts department of a private firm. He was capturing these images and videos during his daily metro commute to and from work.”
Police grill the accused
Police said Diganth is currently being questioned to determine whether he acted alone or had collaborators, and whether the material was monetized or distributed across other platforms. Investigators are also examining whether he received any payments for the content and if it was posted elsewhere beyond Instagram.
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Before the account was taken down, it had posted at least 14 videos—mostly close-up shots of women on metro trains or station platforms, captured without their awareness. The videos, which began appearing on April 11, were often accompanied by degrading captions like “Beautiful girls of Bengaluru,” sparking a wave of anger across social media.
Users flooded Instagram and other platforms with complaints, tagging the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the city police, demanding strict action. The backlash led to swift removal of the account and triggered a police investigation.
Authorities are now working to understand the full extent of the content shared and whether any laws related to privacy, stalking, or cybercrime were violated. The arrest has brought a measure of relief to concerned citizens, many of whom raised alarms about the safety and dignity of women in public spaces.
