National Commission for Women (NCW) member Khushboo Sundar visited to Netra Jyothi Institute of Allied Health Sciences in Udupi, on Thursday, July 27 to inquire about the alleged recording of a video of a student in the washroom.
Before visiting the college, she had sought feedback from the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police on July 26 on the alleged voyeurism incident.
Talking to reporters after meeting the officials on July 26 in Udupi, she said the visit is not to paint a communal colour to the alleged incident, but to facilitate a fair and impartial police investigation. Ms. Sundar said the Commission has not registered a suo motu case.
In the absence of any formal complaint and also the victim’s refusal to lodge a complaint, the police were unable to take up an investigation. Only after the college principal held a media conference on July 25, admitting the incident, did police register a suo motu case, she said after gathering information from the district administration.
The police could not find any video clip in the three mobile phones handed over to them by the college management. Even after retrieving data for 40 hours, they could not gather any information about the alleged voyeurism, and the phones would have to be sent for a forensic probe, Ms. Sundar said.
Regarding messages on social media that the incident has a terror link and wider ramification, Ms. Sundar said, “None could pass a judgement until a proper investigation is done. The only thing everyone wants is the investigation be done in a proper manner.”
She clarified that the NCW team did not get any evidence, nor any photo or video. The Commission would also examine why the incident became viral.
Ms. Sundar began her inquiry with a visit to the college on July 27 morning.
