Secretly Filming Women In Washroom, Burqa-Clad Kerala Techie Caught With Camera In Kochi Mall, Arrested | Watch
New Delhi: A shocking incident came to the fore in Kerala’s Kochi city on Tuesday where a 23-year-old engineering graduate was arrested by the police after he was caught secretly filming videos inside a women’s washroom at a famous mall in the city. The accused, identified as Abhimanyu, reportedly donned a burqa to masquerade as a woman and allegedly filmed women in a clandestine manner in a washroom, Kochi Police said on Thursday.
As per the police, the incident took place at a famous mall in Kochi on Tuesday evening, when Abhimanyu, a robotics engineering graduate working in Kochi, got caught filming videos inside a women’s washroom while wearing a burqa (veil) to pose as a woman.
Kerala techie arrested for planting camera in Kochi mall's women's bathroom
Police arrested Abhimanyu (23) for trying to place a camera in the washroom of Lulu Mall, Kochi, Kerala
The mobile camera was placed inside the washroom after wearing a Burqa. pic.twitter.com/oJ39qEGfzC
— زماں (@Delhiite_) August 17, 2023
The 23-year-old accused was arrested and booked under sections 354(C) (voyeurism), 419 (impersonation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 66E of the IT Act, police said, adding that the accused has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody by a local court.
Giving details, a senior police official said that Abhimanyu, allegedly ventured into the women’s washroom in the mall, placed his mobile phone in a box and kept it near the door to secretly film women. The accused allegedly wore a burqa to masquerade as a woman, however, his suspicious behaviour was noticed by security personnel who seized him and informed the cops.
Police have seized Abhimanyu’s phone as well as the burqa used in committing the crime, the official said, adding that it is being probed if the man was involved in such activities earlier too.
Karnataka man dons burqa to avail free bus ride
A similar incident was reported from Karnataka last month where a man was caught masquerading as a woman by donning a burqa to avail a free bus ride in Dharwad district of the state.
The man, identified as Veerabhadraiah Mathapati, had draped himself in a burqa (veil), apparently to pose as a woman and get a free bus ticket under the Shakti Yojana scheme of the Karnataka government.
ಕೆಎಸ್ಆರ್ಟಿಸಿ ಬಸ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಉಚಿತ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಬುರ್ಖಾ ಧರಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಣ ಮಾಡಿದ ವಿಜಯಪುರದ ವೀರಭದ್ರಯ್ಯ. ಆದ್ರೆ, ಬುರ್ಖಾ ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದ ಉದ್ದೇಶವೇ ಬೇರೆ ಎಂದ..#Karnataka #ShaktiScheme #Congressguarantee #FreeBusTravel #ManwearingBurqa #Burqa pic.twitter.com/yWy5NvcNEH
— ಸತೀಶ್ ಕಂದಗಲ್ ಪುರ (@sathisho2555) July 6, 2023
According to an India Today report, bystanders got suspicious after they noticed Veerabhadraiah sitting alone at the bus stop. Some people approached and upon being exposed for his fraud, Veerabhadraiah claimed that he had donned the burqa to help with begging as it made him appear more sympathetic.
The man was allegedly also carrying a woman’s Aadhaar card which he reportedly intended to present as proof of his forged identity, the report said.