The Karnataka Police have registered two separate first information reports (FIRs) in connection to the incident in Udupi where three medical students allegedly filmed a fellow student while she was in the restroom, officials of Udupi Police said on Wednesday.A statement released by the Udupi Police said that the authorities have taken suo motu cognizance of the incident, and two separate cases have been registered in connection to the case.Udupi Video Incident | Udupi Police has filed two cases. One case linked to three female students and college administration regarding deletion of a video of a student filmed in the toilet. Second case linked to uploading of a hidden camera video on YouTube channels. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/i9JWGmNOHO— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2023The first case has been registered at the Malpe Police Station in Udupi against the three female students as well as members of the medical college administration, as per the news agency PTI. The FIR has been filed under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 509, 204, 175, 34 and 66 (e) of the IT Act, 2000.The second case has been filed in relation to an edited video which was uploaded on YouTube channels and was reposted by one person on his Twitter account. The case has been filed under various sections of the IPC for allegedly spreading fake information, as well as spreading offensive and communal hatred on social media. The second case has also been filed at the Malpe Police Station for causing communal enmity.Udupi controversy causes war of words BJP, NCW accuse Karnataka govt of inactionThe incident, which has flared communal controversy on social media, has also triggered a war of words between the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, led by CM Siddaramaiah, and the state BJP officials.“Police is not taking any action. They wanted to take action against the girl who raised the alarm- the whistle-blower rather than the culprits. After a hue and cry, they have lodged an FIR. The State Government is saying it is fake news. If it is so, why were three girls suspended and why is there an apology letter Police have failed, they are under tremendous political pressure. I urge them to work without any political pressure,” former Karnataka chief minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai told ANI.#WATCH | Udupi Video Incident | Former Karnataka CM and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai says, …Police is not taking any action…They wanted to take action against the girl who raised an alarm, the whistleblower rather than the culprits. After a hue and cry, they have lodged an… pic.twitter.com/8433MLqn6B— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2023On the other hand, National Commission of Women Member and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar said that she will visit Udupi to assess the situation and conduct her own investigation into the matter.“Heading to Udupi to look into the issue where girls were filmed in a washroom by their fellow girl college mates. It is extremely saddening to see children indulging in such activities. As a @NCWIndia member, I will be looking into the matter, speaking with the students, meeting the cops and visiting the college too. Nobody can play around with the dignity of women,” Sundar wrote on her Twitter handle.Heading to Udupi to look into the issue where girls were filmed in a washroom by their fellow girl college mates. It is extremely saddening to see children indulging in such activities. As a @NCWIndia member, I will be looking into the matter, speaking with the students, meeting…— KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) July 26, 2023Meanwhile, the Additional Superintendent of Police for Udupi ST Siddalingappa told news outlet The News Minute that the Upudpi incident did not have a communal angle.“We looked through the [accuseds] phone and didnt find any such [private] video. We thoroughly investigated the matter and there is no evidence that the video was shared. It was a one-off incident in the college and has no communal angle to it. The purported victim doesnt want to file a police complaint,” he said.
