Gzb police hunt for man over capturing live feed of women’s changing room

As the woman questioned the suspect about the CCTV recording, he allegedly misbehaved and threatened her of dire consequences

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police is on the lookout for a caretaker of a temple, located on the banks of Muradnagar’s Upper Ganga Canal, for allegedly capturing live feed of women’s changing room on cellphone, officers said on Friday, adding that they found five days of feed in the CCTV recording device, featuring about 200 women.

The suspect, who already has several cases against his name, has absconded and police have formed teams to catch hold of him. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The incident came to light on late Thursday night after a 45-year-old woman lodged a police complaint at Muradnagar police station against the suspect -- Mukesh Giri.

Giri, who already has several cases against his name, has absconded. Police have formed teams to catch hold of him, officers aware of the case informed.

In the first information report (FIR), the woman has alleged that she along with her 14-year-old daughter had come to visit Chota Haridwar on May 21 at 3.30pm. She took a bath and went to the changing room.

“I came to know that Mahant Mukesh Giri has placed a CCTV camera facing towards the changing room and he sees live feed of women changing clothes there... when I questioned the suspect, he misbehaved and threatened me of dire consequences,” the woman said in the FIR.

This area of Upper Ganga Canal is popularly known as Chota Haridwar in Muradnagar and houses a temple. It is a popular halt for commuters travelling to Haridwar and further towards Uttarakhand. It is also a hotspot where people arrive to visit the temple and thus also take a bath.

According to police, the changing room doesn’t have any roof and is just covered from all sides.

In the preliminary probe, police found that a CCTV camera was placed above the changing room and it was facing downwards.

“We found live feed of CCTV for past five days (Sunday to Thursday)… We also checked the mobile phone of the suspect and it was found that he was capturing the live feed,” said Vivek Chandra Yadav, DCP (rural), adding: “Only the suspect had the access to live feed of the CCTV.”

While police were carrying out a preliminary probe, the woman had not submitted any written complaint, and in the process the suspect gave police a slip, the officer informed.

“We have come to know that suspect Mukesh Giri also has several cases against his name and has absconded in the present case. We have formed teams to nab him at the earliest and detailed questioning will be taken up,” the DCP added.

On the basis of woman’s complaint, police registered an FIR on Thursday night under the Indian Penal Code sections 354 (molestation), 354c (watching or capturing images of a woman engaging in a private act), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) at Muradnagar police station.

Police said that the FIR has named Giri as the prime suspect in the case.