A minor boy in Hyderabad was held by the city police on Tuesday after he allegedly took pictures of women while they were bathing in a hostel adjacent to his residence. The incident came to light after one of the women noticed the minor taking photographs from the window of the washroom and alerted the authorities.
According to reports, the hostel building was owned by a relative of the 14-year-old boy, who was said to be studying in Class 9.
“At around 2 am, about 20 women, all supposed to be victims living on the same floor came to the police station on Monday and complained. The victims are both students and employees. The mobile phones and Tabs present in the boy's house were immediately checked. But, he had put a password to the Tab, which he claims to have forgotten. The Tab has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis, which would be done by the women officials there,” Madhapur inspector Y Nageshwar Rao told Deccan Chronicle.
Some media reports also suggested that there were close to 3,000 photos and videos of the women in the tab that was seized by the authorities. A case was booked under 354-C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the teenager was presented in front of the Juvenile Justice Board. Police said that further details would be revealed soon.
Meanwhile, activists demanded action against the owner of the hostel. Child rights organisation Balala Hakkula Sangham said that the owner of the hostel should also be booked, as he made the women's bathroom visible to outsiders.
"The minor should be given counselling by a child psychologist and parents should also be made responsible for the guilt of their child who is in conflict with law," the NGO said in a statement.
It also advised parental guidance while children operated mobile phones and other gadgets.