Hyderabad: The video of an alleged policeman masturbating in front of an inmate of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) girls’ hostel in Hyderabad went viral on social media on Saturday.
Although the incident took place four months ago and was reported to the Rachakonda SHE Team through social media, no action was taken. Following the video going viral on Saturday, the SHE Team approached the student and made her lodge a complaint at the Adibatla police station.
The video shows a man masturbating outside the TISS girls’’ hostel in broad daylight. His dress resembles that of a policeman. The incident occurred on October 20 at around 3 pm when the complainant was walking towards a nearby shop from the girl hostel.
Though the student starts recording the act, the man continues masturbating even while looking at the camera. The man leaves the place only after the girl screams for help. He drives away on his bike, which has no number plate.
There are around 120 girl students of TISS staying in the hostel. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a friend of the student, who witnessed the incident, said, “Although we approached the SHE Team of Rachakonda, there was no proper response. The matter started moving only after the video posted on social media went viral. A higher-level police official approached and accompanied us to the Adibatla police station for lodging the complaint.”
She maintained that this was not the first time that incidents of masturbation and harassment of women have occurred near the hostel premises in Brahmanapally.
The distance between the college campus and the hostel is around 500 metres. There are bushes around the area.
Security deployed at the hostel is insufficient to deal with such incidents. There is a woman security person in the day shift and a male employee in the night at the hostel for security.
When contacted about police inaction on the incident for the last four months, Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh M. Bhagwat said, “The incident came to my notice only on Saturday. I have immediately ordered an enquiry into the issue and sent DCP SHE Team Saleema for inquiry. A through probe will be conducted and further action taken accordingly,” Mr Bhagwat stated.
