HYDERABAD: The Medchal police registered a case against former minister Chamakura Malla Reddy’s brother and CMR College chairman Chamakura Gopal Reddy under the POCSO Act, in connection with a case of voyeurism at the college hostel. The hostel staff allegedly filmed girls in the bathrooms.
Cases were also filed against mess workers Nanda Kishore Kumar and Govind Kumar, CMR hostel wardens KV Dhanalaxmi and Preethi Reddy, college principal Varahabatla Anantha Narayana and director Madireddy Janga Reddy.
On January 1 and 2, students protested after reportedly noticing individuals peeping into girls’ washrooms. Initially, a case was filed under Section 77 (voyeurism) and 125 BNS (personal safety). Later, more charges were added, including 49 (abetment) and 239 (intentionally not reporting a crime) and Section 11 R/w 12m 16 R/w 17 of POCSO.
Two mess workers arrested
Meanwhile, the police arrested two mess workers Nanda Kishore Kumar and Govind Kumar -- both Bihar natives.
Medchal DCP N Koti told TNIE that they both confessed to peeping into the washrooms. “As of now, we have not got any videos from the phones. We will send their phones to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination,” he said.
The investigation revealed severe lapses by hostel wardens KV Dhanalaxmi and Allam Preethi Reddy, who failed to act when students reported the incidents. Instead, they dismissed the complaints, made derogatory comments, and blamed the victims.
College authorities, including Principal Anantha Narayana, Director Janga Reddy, and Chairman Gopal Reddy, allegedly pressured staff to suppress the incident to protect the institution’s reputation. The mess workers were provided accommodation near the girls’ hostel, facilitating easy access and compromising students’ safety and privacy. This behaviour of college management has abetted the mess workers to take chance of voyeurism.
In the FIR, the students highlighted several issues in the hostel including: men roaming within hostel premises at night, lack of proper security systems, insufficient barriers between hostellers and workers’ quarters, evidence tampering and suppression of complaints, negligent management and inadequate supervision.