The victim in the case deposed before a court on Friday. Two VHP leaders were booked for hate speech at a protest rally on Thursday.
BJP legislators from coastal districts, on Friday, met Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Friday for SIT probe into Udupi washroom filming incident
A delegation of BJP legislators from the coastal districts of Karnataka met Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Friday, 4 August, and requested him to order the state government to conduct a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the “washroom filming case” at a paramedical college in Udupi.
Senior BJP leader Kota Shrinivas Poojari, who led the delegation said, “Unfortunately, the government is conducting an investigation by an officer of the deputy superintendent of police (DySP) rank. If there is pressure from the government, a proper investigation by a DySP-level officer is impossible. Therefore, we have demanded an SIT probe.”
After meeting the Governor, he told reporters that the state’s Home Minister G Parameshwara spoke as if this issue was a joke, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has not taken the case “seriously”.
“As the government was hesitant on the issue, today we met the Governor and requested him to direct an SIT probe,” he said.
The issue is regarding the alleged filming of a girl on a mobile phone by other female students in the washroom of a paramedical college in the coastal district headquarters town of Udupi.
The issue elicited sharp reactions and protests, as it took a communal turn, with rumours that girls of a particular community had targeted a girl from another community and shared a video of her that they allegedly shot in the restroom.
Poojari said the Governor’s attention had been drawn to the “deteriorating law and order situation, chaotic atmosphere”, the bail given to the girl students who filmed the video, and the possibility of their Popular Front of India (PFI) connections.
“We have requested to issue directions for an SIT probe, for a comprehensive investigation,” he said, adding that the Governor has assured that he would issue appropriate directions.
Reacting to BJP’s protest, Siddaramaiah said: “Nobody had lodged the complaint: Neither parents of the so-called victim nor the so-called victim. The police registered the case suo motu (on its own) against the three accused persons; they are out on bail now.”
He added: “Whoever committed an offence will be punished in accordance with the law. We have already taken steps. Let the investigation finish. We will take action.”
Meanwhile, the victim of the case appeared before the Udupi district court on Thursday to record her statement, police sources said.
The incident occurred on 18 July, when three Muslim girls allegedly videographed the victim when she had gone to the washroom.
The incident sparked a statewide controversy, with the Opposition BJP holding protests demanding a thorough investigation into the issue.
In a detailed deposition before the court, the girl recounted the events relating to the incident, said police sources, adding that the court carefully recorded her statement.
The girl had earlier expressed her reluctance to file a formal complaint against the three accused.
All three accused have already secured anticipatory bail from the court to avoid detention during the investigation.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Udupi town police took up a suo motu case against two Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders for their hate speech at a protest rally demanding a thorough probe into the washroom filming incident.
The two leaders are Karnataka VHP joint secretary Sharan Pumpwell and district secretary Dinesh Mendon.
The protest rally was organised by the VHP and the Bajrang Dal units of Udupi district at the Sri Krishna Matha. It was attended by MLAs Sunil Kumar of Karkala, Yashpal Suvarna of Udupi, Gururaj Gantihole of Byndoor and Kiran Kodgi of Kundapura.
During the protest rally, Sharan Pumpwell told the crowd that Hindus will respond in an apt way to the jihadist elements, and that Hindu mothers who used to hold spoons and brooms have to pick up weapons and wake up and show the community that Hindus would not remain silent, said Udupi police sources.
Dinesh Mendon also delivered a provocative speech during the rally, added the police sources.
On 28 July, when the BJP workers and supporters were protesting in front of Netra Jyothi Paramedical College, BJP Mahila Morcha district head Veena Shetty was also booked for hate speech as she said Muslim girls should be going to Madarasas and not to any schools or colleges.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) is also looking into the Udupi washroom filming case, but is yet to come up with a report.
Actor and NCW member Kushbu Sundar confirmed to South First that the NCW had taken up the case, but refused to divulge any further details, saying she was not the commission’s spokesperson.
After conducting inquiries into the incident, Khushbu said that there were no hidden cameras in the toilet of the institution, as was being claimed by many.
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