KRISHNAGIRI: A woman and her male friend from Bengaluru were arrested on a charge of installing a hidden camera in a bathroom of women's hostel in Nagamangalam in Hosur, police said on Thursday.
The accused, identified as S Neelu Kumari Gupta (22) of Odisha, was allegedly acting on the instructions of her friend.
During interrogation, Gupta allegedly told that she was in a relationship with the man who coerced her into planting the camera by threatening to expose her personal photos. She admitted to recording a video but said it was never shared with him. Police have launched a search for the man but did not reveal his identity.
Police sources said the incident came to light after Gupta placed the camera in her own bathroom at the hostel near Uddanapalli on Sunday morning before removing it and fixing it in the bathroom of another room occupied by a 21-year-old employee from Maharashtra. When the latter returned after taking bath, Gupta entered the bathroom again, raising suspicion among other inmates.
1.5K woman employees stage protest, seek arrest
When questioned by fellow employees, Gupta is said to have confessed to planting the camera. The matter was immediately brought to the attention of the hostel management.
Tata Electronics provides accommodation for its women employees at Vidiyal Residency in Nagamangalam village. The facility comprises 11 blocks, nine of which house around 6,500 women employees. The incident occurred in the fourth block.
Nearly 1,500 women employees protested on Tuesday evening, demanding arrest of Gupta and her accomplice, and action against the management for alleged lapses in ensuring employee safety.
Krishnagiri SP P Thangadurai and Hosur Sub-Collector Aakriti Sethi rushed to the spot with around 150 cops. They pacified the protesters, assuring them that the matter would be investigated thoroughly.
Based on a complaint lodged by the Maharashtra native, Uddanapalli police filed a case against Gupta under BNS Sections 77 and 126(2), Section 9 of the Women Harassment Act, and provisions of the Information Technology Act. She was arrested on Wednesday.
Searches were conducted in all hostel rooms from Tuesday night until Wednesday afternoon. SP Thangadurai has formed a five-member team to trace the man involved in the case.
Hostel residents had informed their block warden about the incident on Sunday evening, following which Tata Electronics inquired until Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, the company allegedly engaged another expert team to inspect the hostel rooms for possible hidden cameras, sources said.
Krishnagiri Collector C Dinesh Kumar told TNIE that he would look into how the firm allegedly failed to alert the cops and district administration.
(With inputs from PTI)