Andhra Pradesh college hidden camera row: What is voyeurism and are spy cams now tool for such acts in hostels?
The alleged instance of voyeurism at a college hostel in Andhra Pradesh has raised serious concerns regarding the safety of female residents in such facilities.
The situation remains tense at the SR Gudlavalleru Engineering College in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh where an alleged instance of voyeurism involving a hidden camera reportedly being found at the female students’ hostel washroom has spread like wildfire.
As per reports, several videos were recorded in the hidden camera and allegedly circulated among students residing in the boys' hostel, prompting massive protests by residents of the female hostel who demanded immediate action against the perpetrators responsible for the disturbing incident.
Shockingly, allegations were also levelled against a senior female student from the final year of an engineering student who is accused of arranging the hidden camera in the washroom.
Krishna district police have taken a final-year B Tech student into custody and seized his laptop and cell phones. The student was reportedly selling the videos recorded from the hidden camera.
Hidden Camera: A Tool for Voyeurism?
In simpler terms, Voyeurism refers to the act of secretly watching individuals inside a private infrastructure (washroom, trial room, etc.) with indecent intent. Such incidents are not new and have been hitting headlines repeatedly, with the most talked about incident dating back to 2015. The then Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani had lodged a complaint after she noticed a camera inside the changing room at a clothing store in Goa.
The former minister had lodged complaints under Sections 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman), 354C (voyeurism) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code
In August 2024, a woman in Bengaluru filed a complaint after she found a hidden camera installed in the washroom of a coffee outlet. It was later discovered that an employee had been filming people in the washroom through a smartphone. The coffee shop in question later issued a notice citing that it had fired the employee and initiated legal action against him.
Also read: Over 35% of 3,885 doctors, mostly women, feel unsafe during night shifts: IMA study
Another report dated May 2024, revealed that a woman in Ghaziabad lodged a complaint against a temple priest after she found a CCTV pointed towards a roofless room where women change their clothes. As per the police, the display of the CCTV was linked to the priest’s smartphone. A case was filed under relevant sections of the IPC, the police said.
If that was not all, in March 2024, an employee of the Hotel Taj in Chandigarh was arrested for secretly filming a female hotel guest while she was taking a bath in her room. As per the police, the accused had entered the guest’s room using a master key.
Andhra Pradesh College Incident: No camera was found in the preliminary inquiry
Meanwhile, Krishna District Superintendent of Police R Gangadhar Rao rushed to the spot and conducted a preliminary inquiry, and informed that the police had not found any hidden cameras in the girls' hostel when checked.
CM Naidu orders an inquiry
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday ordered an inquiry and directed district minister Kollu Ravindra and the SP to talk to the students to ascertain the facts.
Education Minister Nara Lokesh also took to X and warned of stringent action to be taken against culprits and those responsible if found guilty during the investigation. He also urged education managements to take early steps to prevent ragging and harassment in colleges.
With the latest incident reported at the Andhra Pradesh college, it is felt that not just educational institutions but all organizations including workplaces must incorporate strict measures to prevent the heinous act of voyeurism and protect the integrity of individuals at all costs.
(With inputs from Srinivasa Rao Apparasu in Hyderabad)
