Udupi SP rubbishes communal angle in nursing home incident

NT Correspondent

Udupi: While misleading information designed to manipulate minds are being shared on social media over a fresh incident that recently took place at a private nursing home in the district, the college administration and the police have rubbished any communal angle to it.

Speaking to media on Tuesday, the Udupi Superintendent of Police (SP) Hakay Akshay Machhindra revealed that the case is being publicised from a communal angle and it is totally misleading to create a rift among groups.

The controversy erupted on July 24, when some social media users claimed that some girl students from the minority community had secretly made videos of other ‘girls in the washroom’ and shared them with their male counterparts.

Despite the statements from the Udupi police and the college administration that no such video was shared by any student, rightwing organisations and their supporters highlighted the issue to the extent that they linked it to one of the propaganda films that was released recently.

A few BJP members claimed that the girls who were videographed are depressed and disturbed to the extent that they were contemplating selfharm/suicide. In-charge of BJP's National Information & Technology Department, Amit Malviya, took to twitter and posted, "Our Udupi MLA is seized with the situation. Shri CT Ravi, national general secretary, is in touch with them. State unit is in touch with the girls and Rashmi. We stand with our cadre and supporters against the tyranny of the Congress Govt in Karnataka."

Another BJP leader CT Ravi replying to a tweet, said, "We will not stop at condemning this heinous act by three Muslim girls. It is high time those responsible for such crimes are punished as per the law. We at @BJP4Karnataka stand in support and solidarity with Nationalists."

In yet another tweet later he said, "I am not surprised that the CONgress government is using police to strangle the truth. It has been the practice of CONgress to silence truth that tries to expose its agenda."

Amid this, the Udupi SP Machhindra clarified that no video was made or shared with anyone. "Many people have claimed that a hidden camera was installed inside the restroom. No such thing has come to our attention," the SP said.

Meanwhile refuting the communal angle, the college authorities organised a press briefing on Tuesday.

Rashmi, director of the college said, "Mobiles are not allowed in college, but as soon as we learned about the incident we enquired from the students. Based on the investigations, students have been suspended as disciplinary action. They have also apologised for their mistake. Immediately on the next day police were informed. The police also arrived at our college and another round of investigation was carried out with the students in presence of their parents. We have given the mobile phones to the police for investigation. Our aim is to give good health workers to society. We never allow mobile phones to avoid such indecent incidents. It is my responsibility to ensure the safety of the students," she said.

Rashmi added that the victim has refused to file a case during police intervention.

"She said that the question of her and other students' future is involved in this incident. The students have clearly stated that the video was made for fun only and was deleted immediately after. The students have submitted an apology as well for the same."

However several BJP members claimed that the police had raided the victim's house and harassed her over "raising her voice about the case."

Replying to the social media rumours Rashmi said, "Don't spread falsehood and confusing messages without proper knowledge on social media. Don't spread any misinformation. We are not supporting anyone in this matter," she said.