ABVP protests in Udupi, students allege college let accused get away lightly

Activists of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest in Udupi on Thursday, July 27 demanding justice for a Hindu student who was filmed by three Muslim students inside a college washroom. The incident has sparked tension in the coastal district, with allegations of more videos of Hindu girls being recorded by the accused. A group of women students from the college who were also part of the protest said that instead of taking stern action against the three students, the college administrator Abdul Khader merely made them write imposition five times as a punishment. They expressed dissatisfaction, adding that the administrator described his action as a "beautiful response" to the incident and asked the students to "let it go." The students further alleged that a similar incident had occurred six months ago, but the matter was ‘hidden’. One of the students also confronted a police officer and asked why action was not taken. Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna also visited the protest site. However, the situation turned tense as a scuffle broke out between the protesting students and the police force. The Superintendent of Police visited the protest site later to address the protestors' demands and provide clarifications. He said, “We will act only on the basis of the facts and merit of the case. We have sent the phone to forensics to retrieve all the data.” Responding to if there was some kind of political pressure for the delay in filing a case, the SP said, “We have no such pressure. We will get a detailed analysis of the mobile phones and investigate thoroughly.” ABVP protests in Udupi demanding justice for a Hindu student who was filmed by three Muslim students inside college washroom. pic.twitter.com/AijXXI5KBU — Shivani Kava (@kavashivani) July 27, 2023 The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Superintendent of Police Hakay Akshay Machhindra, urging strict action against the three students responsible for the act. They warned that if appropriate measures were not taken within a limited period, they would escalate the protests across the district. The incident occurred on July 18 at the Netra Jyothi College of Optometry and Paramedical Science. According to the FIR, three female students recorded a video in the restroom, intending to film one of their Hindu friends, but inadvertently filmed another Hindu student. The FIR states that the students apologised to the victim and deleted the video. The college management confiscated their mobile phones on July 19. However, the Udupi police registered a suo motu case eight days after the incident, leading to growing unrest and demands for justice from various student organisations and right-wing groups. BJP leader and National Commission for Women (NCW) member Khushbu Sundar visited Udupi on July 26. The next day she visited the college to conduct an inquiry. #WATCH | Udupi Video Incident: NCW (National Commission for Women) member Khushbu Sundar says, "There are rumours that there were hidden cameras in toilets. There is no truth in it. False videos are going around. It is an institution so there can't be any hidden cameras. We are… pic.twitter.com/zhDDSevgIX — ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2023 Read: Udupi police register FIR against three students in college bathroom case Udupi cops debunk claims that restroom video was shared with others, deflates tension | The News Minute