Tensions have escalated in Telangana's CMR Engineering College, where smartphone cameras were found hidden inside the girls' hostel bathroom on New Year’s night, sparking a wave of paranoia and anger among the students.
Since the incident occurred, the students have launched a protest on campus, prompting a response from the college administration. They have also reached out to the local police regarding the same.
The incident caught the attention of netizens, with many taking to social media to express their concerns and demand accountability.
Speaking to EdexLive, a student from the CMR Engineering College in Hyderabad, said that the college management has been coordinating with the students and has taken some necessary steps to address their concerns.
A student, speaking on condition of anonymity, recounted the incident, “On January 1, around 1 pm, a girl discovered a phone hidden in the ventilator of the washroom. She reported it to the warden, but no immediate action was taken. It was only after more hostel residents raised the issue and escalated it to the administration that the matter was addressed. The students then staged a protest on campus, prompting Director Dr Janga Reddy to respond to their concerns.”
The students informed that the director has assured them that the hostel staff will be changed immediately and entry of male staff and students in the girls hostel will be strictly limited.
Meanwhile, the police have launched an investigation into the incident, but the individual responsible for placing the smartphones in the hostel bathroom is yet to be identified.
The students also clarified that reports circulating in the media about almost 300 videos being found on the confiscated phones are false, labelling them as misinformation.
"There are many claims being made on news channels, but nothing has been confirmed yet," the student explained. "What we know so far is that the police have found around 11 phones, but no videos were discovered. The devices have been sent for forensic analysis to determine if any videos were deleted. The main concern remains identifying who placed the phones in the girls' washroom, and that needs to be thoroughly investigated. In my opinion, students and the media should avoid politicising this issue," shared the student.
It might be noted that leaders of student unions, including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), joined the protest, accusing the management of neglect and even blackmailing students.
As per reports, protesters shattered the windows of the hostel’s security room and demanded accountability from Malla Reddy, a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator and owner of the college.
According to a letter to the police, the incident occurred after a DJ was organised in the hostel for New Year’s Eve. The letter highlighted security lapses in the hostel, adding that men roam around the area during late hours. It also accused the hostel warden of ‘victim-blaming’.
Following an internal investigation, the hostel warden has been suspended.
