Students staging a protest in front of Gudlavalleru Engineering College in Krishna district on Friday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Police suspect the role of two senior students, including a girl student, of Seshadri Rao Gudlavalleru Engineering College (GEC), in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh in the alleged fixing of hidden cameras in the girl’s toilet of the college hostel. They seized the laptops, mobile phones and other electronic gadgets of the suspects on Friday, August 30.
The action follows protests by the students on the college premises since Thursday night, after a few girl students alleged that some miscreants had installed spy cameras in the toilets of the girls’ hostel. Students boycotted classes and continued protests till Friday noon demanding action against the accused.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered an inquiry into the allegations and directed the State Mines Minister K. Ravindra, the Collector and the Superintendent of Police of the district to visit the college. Mr. Naidu told the officials to update him directly on the progress of the investigation.
Protest called off
The students called off the 15-hour protest after Mr. Ravindra, Pedana MLA Kagita Krishna Prasad, Pamarru MLA Varla Kumar Raja, Krishna district Collector D.K. Balaji, and Superintendent of Police R. Gangadhar Rao visited the college and assured them of bringing the culprits to book and rendering justice to them. However, girl students decided not to attend classes till the police complete the investigation.
Protesters alleged that cameras were installed in the women’s toilets a few days ago and that the warden and the college management failed to take any action despite complaints.
Tension prevailed for a while when leaders of the ABVP and other student unions tried to enter the college premises. Police arranged pickets as a precautionary measure.
“We have some doubts and a detailed investigation has been ordered. Instructions have been given to check whether any data or the footages were transferred from the mobile phones of the suspects. Action would be taken against the college management, if found negligent,” Mr. Ravindra said.
The SP said based on a complaint, a case had been registered and investigation taken up on the alleged installation of hidden cameras.
“A five-member committee headed by Gudivada Central Crime Station (CCS) CI E. Ramanamma, IT Core Team Technical SI T. Poorna Madhuri, Crime SI I. Divya Kalyani and women constables I. Sushmita and V. Lakshmi, has been constituted,” Mr. Gangadhar Rao said.
