'Hidden camera in college washroom': Udupi SP asks public not to believe rumours
Udupi, July 25: Udupi district police have urged the public not to believe rumours regarding news circulating in social media that a hidden camera was placed in the washroom of a private college in Udupi by female students of a particular community.
Addressing reporters in Udupi, District Superintendent of Police Hakay Akshay Machhindra said a clarification has been issued through the police social media handles about people linking some issues that occurred in other places with the reported incident in Udupi.
Attempts are being made to create confusion by sharing unverified information on social media platforms.
He said the police department has no information regarding any such video circulating. Moreover, they have not received any reports about any hidden camera being placed in the college, he said.
The college management has taken disciplinary action at their level, the SP told the media, and the victim too has informed the college management that a video was made for fun and later deleted, and not circulated.
Machhindra said the purported video has not been circulated anywhere. In case anyone finds the video, they can bring it to our notice, he said.
Speaking about the police visit to Rashmi Samant, a twitter user and native of Udupi, he said the police wanted to verify the authenticity of the Twitter account through which a tweet was posted with the rumours about students of a particular community.
Police has not registered any complaint as there is no clue about the incident to file a suo motu case, the SP said.
Meanwhile, addressing a press meet, college director Rashmi Krishna Prasad said as soon as the management learned about the incident, an enquiry was held. Based on the investigations, students have been suspended as part of disciplinary action for bringing mobile phones to college, which is against the rules.
She said the students have also apologised for their actions. The police, who were informed, reached the college and an investigation was carried out in the presence of the parents of students involved. The mobile phones of students have been handed over to police, she said.
She said the students have clearly stated that it was only for fun that a video was made, and that they submitted an apology.
Later talking to reporters, Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna urged the police department to register a suo motu case against the students who allegedly kept hidden cameras in the washroom.
He told reporters that the three students have brought disrepute to the district, which is an educational hub, and he claimed that he suspected the role of unseen hands behind the act. The matter will be brought to the notice of the chief minister and home minister, he said.
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Divya Deshmukh makes the right moves; Gukesh fails to impress
New Delhi (PTI): A starry-eyed teenager Divya Deshmukh winning the Women's Chess World Cup in faraway Batumi this year not only showcased India's unfathomable depth of talent in the sport but also reaffirmed the country's status as the new hub of the game in the world.
Just when it seemed the aura of D. Gukesh, who became world champion in 2024, was on the wane after suffering a string of losses this year, the 19-year-old Nagpur girl emerged from nowhere and achieved three career milestones with one signature triumph.
Divya not only became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women's World Cup, she also instantly secured the prestigious Grandmaster title, bypassing the usual "norms" required to earn it.
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Divya, whose parents are doctors, also secured an automatic qualification for the 2026 Candidates tournament, where the winner will earn the right to challenge the reigning Women's world champion Ju Wenjun of China.
On that eventful day in July, Divya's victory also shifted the contours of women's chess in the country, which relied on two-time world rapid champion Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika. The two women have been the torchbearers of the sport in the country for nearly two decades.
But while Divya made a huge statement with her triumph, success eluded world champion Gukesh and his year was dotted with unflattering results after it started on a promising note with a second-place finish in the Tata Steel Chess Masters in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands.
Turbulence hits Gukesh
After the high of becoming world champion, Gukesh's journey this year has been anything but smooth. Country-mate R. Praggnanandhaa challenged his supremacy, defeating the champion in a thrilling blitz tiebreaker to clinch the Tata Steel Masters title.
In a year, when the 19-year-old Gukesh should have consolidated the gains of the world title, he kept slipping, getting knocked out of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, finishing dismally in the FIDE Grand Swiss, and suffering a shocking third-round exit at the FIDE World Cup in Goa.
Gukesh's famous victory over world No.1 Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess in May- June and the European Club Cup triumph in October, where he won the individual gold and helped his team, SuperChess, bag the title, were the few bright spots in a largely barren year.
Amid all the gloom in classical, rapid and blitz, one signature victory that saw Gukesh's popularity soar was his win against Carlsen in Norway Chess in Stavanger.
That famous triumph, where a shaken Carlsen slammed his fist on the table and muttered "Oh my God" before leaving the hall agitated, caused a social media storm.
French football giants Paris Saint-Germain tweeted a viral image of Gukesh's calm expression after defeating the Norwegian world No.1, using it to express their own emotions after winning their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.
PSG captioned the image: "What it felt like winning our first UCL". The football club's use of the image was widely shared across social media, garnering over eight million impressions.
That nerve-wracking defeat against Gukesh notwithstanding, Carlsen beat an elite field to clinch his seventh Norway Chess title, even as he extended his reign on the chess world by winning multiple titles across formats.
Home advantage lost
India were expected to at least secure one Candidates tournament berth from the World Cup in Goa recently. Unfortunately, front-runners Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, P Harikrishna and Vidit Gujrathi bowed out at various stages of the tournament as the Indians couldn't capitalise on the home advantage.
Javokhir Sindarov, Wei Yi, and Andrey Esipenko went on to secure their spots for the Candidates in Cyprus next year.
However, Praggnanandhaa did finally manage to seal his spot in the Candidates by winning the FIDE Circuit 2025, making him the first Indian male player to qualify for the prestigious World Championship qualifier by topping the circuit's standings with strong performances and points from events like the London Chess Classic.
It's raining Grandmasters in India
India has come a long way since the legendary Viswanathan Anand became the country's first Grandmaster in 1988. As the country looks ahead to 2026, it now boasts of 91 GMs, with many standing on the threshold of the prestigious title.
Among those who became Grandmasters in 2025 are LR Srihari, Harikrishnan A Ra, Divya Deshmukh, S Rohith Krishna, Ilamparthi AR and Raahul VS.
Making early moves
With Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha from Madhya Pradesh recently becoming the youngest player on the FIDE rating list at the age of just three years, seven months, and 20 days, it's only a matter of time before someone breaks the record as well. Too 'young' to be true!
