The accused, Nanda Kishore Kumar and Govind Kumar, both aged 20 and originally from Bihar, were employed in the college hostel mess. The two workers were residing in a room adjacent to the ladies’ washroom, from where they allegedly peeped into the washroom to film the students. Both individuals have confessed to the crime, according to the police, and have been sent to judicial custody.
The case was registered under multiple sections of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections 77 (voyeurism), 125 (endangering safety through negligence), 49 (abetment), and section 11 (sexual harassment). Additionally, provisions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, such as sections 12, 16, and 17, have also been invoked due to the involvement of minor victims.
Police have also booked several senior college officials for negligence and their role in allegedly attempting to suppress the incident. CMR College chairman Chamakura Gopal Reddy, director Madireddy Janga Reddy, principal Varahabatla Anantha Narayana, and two hostel wardens, KV Dhanalaxmi and Allam Preethi Reddy, have been named in the case for their failure to act promptly when the incident was reported.
Deputy Commissioner of Police N. Koti Reddy stated that the victims had informed the hostel wardens about the incident, but they did not treat the matter with the seriousness it deserved. The wardens reportedly failed to escalate the issue to the police or to the parents of the affected students. Instead, they allegedly dismissed the victims' concerns with derogatory comments, further insulting their modesty.
The college authorities, including the principal and the chairman, were accused of pressuring the wardens to suppress the incident to protect the institution’s reputation, rather than reporting it to the relevant authorities. According to the police, this inaction and pressure on the wardens allowed the accused workers to continue their voyeuristic behavior, posing a severe threat to the safety and privacy of the female students.
The police also revealed that the college officials had provided accommodation to the two male workers near the girls' hostel washrooms, giving them easy access to the private spaces of the students and facilitating the crime.
The DCP added that the negligence and abnormal behavior of the hostel wardens and college officials directly abetted the accused workers in committing the offense, exacerbating the situation.
The case is still under investigation, and further action is expected as the police continue to probe the role of the college authorities and gather additional evidence.
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