'Heinous act, serious failure of govt': YSR Congress condemns hidden camera incident in Andhra Pradesh

Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) condemned the recent discovery of a hidden camera in the girls' washroom of a hostel at an engineering college in Krishna district, labelling it a "heinous act" and a serious failure of the TDP-led state government.

In a press conference held at the party office, YSRCP spokesperson P. Shiva Shankar expressed the significant distress caused by the incident to both students and their families. He criticised the current administration, claiming that the education system in Andhra Pradesh has deteriorated since the TDP coalition took power.

The spokesperson noted that over 300 students had been protesting at Gudlavalleru Engineering College since Thursday night, demanding justice and accountability in light of the scandal. "The government is merely watching as our students voice their concerns," he stated.

Shankar raised questions regarding the college management's handling of the situation, suggesting it was suppressed for a week despite students’ complaints. He further inquired why local law enforcement was not immediately involved or why they were unresponsive when alerted.

Highlighting concerns about security within the girls’ hostel, Shankar called for identifying and punishing those responsible for the incident. He pointed out that the primary suspect, a final-year student, reportedly had connections with the Jana Sena Party, as indicated by JSP posters on his social media.

Allegations have surfaced that more than 300 videos recorded from the hidden camera were circulated among male students at the hostel, sparking outrage on campus.

Amid growing public uproar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. Upon being informed of the situation on Friday morning, Naidu instructed Minister Kollu Ravindra and local officials to visit the college and assess the situation firsthand.

In a phone briefing with district officials and law enforcement, Naidu stressed upon the necessity for utmost transparency in the inquiry and demanded strict actions against those found culpable. He also urged students to provide any evidence related to the college management's alleged negligence in addressing their complaints.