New Delhi:
An engineering college in Andhra Pradesh was shaken when some students allegedly found a hidden camera in the women’s toilet. This led to massive protests, which saw not just students but also faculty members demand a swift probe. But while chants of “we want justice” still ring outside the hostel of the Gudlavalleru Engineering College, police say they haven’t found a camera or any leaked videos.
“We found no cameras hidden in the girl’s hostel during our probe. We searched the suspected student laptops, mobile phones, and other devices in front of the students and college staff. No videos were found. Girl Students need not worry,” Krishna District SP Gandadhar Rao said.
The official’s statement came hours after a senior student was arrested from the boy’s hostel in connection with the incident.
Expressing anger over the police’s statements, the protesters have said that they are just seeking justice but the college management and cops were trying to discredit them.
“They didn’t care when I told them about the hidden camera,” said a protesting student claiming that she had informed the college management about the hidden camera a week ago, but they did not take any action.
“When I complained again yesterday around 5 pm, they said they needed a month for investigation. Then, overnight, they spread rumors calling it fake news. They asked me to call my father. What have we done wrong? Is it a crime to seek justice,” the student added.
The college’s faculty association has also expressed surprise over the police’s findings.
Students of the college have been staging a protest since yesterday evening and claim that the camera had been installed by a senior with the help of a female student. Protesters claim that several of the videos recorded on the hidden camera were being sold by the accused.
The Andhra Pradesh government has ordered an inquiry into the incident and assured stringent action against the culprits.
“The Chief Minister ordered an inquiry into the concern of the students about the presence of hidden cameras in the hostel. The Chief Minister ordered the District Collector and SP to go to the spot immediately along with the District Minister,” the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said in a statement.
