In a disturbing incident, Salim Ali, a resident of Jevargi in the Kalaburgi district of Karnataka, was arrested on December 20 for allegedly clandestinely installing a Wi-Fi camera in the bathroom window of a post-matric girls’ hostel catering to the minority community.
According to reports, Salim Ali, the son of Hussain Baba and a tenant in a neighboring building, was apprehended for the illicit act. The accused, a native of Mandewala village, earned his livelihood by selling garlic. Using a pipe, Salim installed a Wi-Fi camera through the bathroom window, connecting it to his mobile phone. The unsettling discovery was made when girls at the hostel noticed him acting suspiciously near the bathroom as they prepared to take a bath on Wednesday morning. Swiftly, they informed the hostel warden about the unsettling observation.
The hostel warden, acting promptly on the information, apprehended Salim Ali, and subsequently, the local police were alerted. The complaint lodged by the hostel warden led to the arrest of the accused, a father of three.
A report suggests that one of the girls saw Salim adjusting the camera from the window and raised an alarm. As other girls entered the bathroom, they spotted the camera and apprehended the accused, subjecting him to the ire of the locals who reportedly thrashed him.
Upon police arrival at Salim Ali’s residence, he was taken into custody. A case has been registered against him at the Jevargi Police Station under relevant sections. The accused was reportedly assaulted by the locals before being handed over to the police. Following the FIR, Salim Ali was formally arrested.
During interrogation, Salim admitted to voyeuristic activities, confessing to watching the girls through the installed camera while they used the bathroom. The police are actively investigating the timeline of the camera installation and whether Salim shared the recorded videos with anyone else. Authorities have confiscated the camera and related equipment as part of the ongoing investigation.
Hulikuntaraya, a taluk officer for minorities welfare, expressed shock over the incident. He stated that the girl students discovered the camera around 6:30 a.m., apprehended Salim Ali, who resided nearby, and subsequently, informed the police. Emphasising that no such incident had been reported earlier, he affirmed the need for a thorough investigation.
This incident brings to mind a similar case reported in Udupi district in July, where three female students allegedly filmed Hindu female students in the washroom of Netra Jyoti College and shared the footage on Muslim groups, leading to an FIR against the accused girls.
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