Krishnagiri(PTI): A woman and her male friend from Bengaluru were arrested on a charge of installing a hidden camera in a bathroom of women’s hostel in Nagamangalam in Hosur, police said on Thursday.

Hundreds of women employees of the Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd facility at Nagamangalam in Krishnagiri district staged a protest after a hidden camera was discovered inside a bathroom in the company’s hostel named Vidiyal Residency. The 11th floor structure has eight blocks and provides accommodation to over 6,000 women.

A 22-year-old Neelukumari Gupta from Odisha, who was an employee of the company’s facility in Nagamangalam, had stayed at the hostel. She had installed the device at the instigation of her male friend, Santhosh (25).

According to superintendent of police P Thangadurai, Santhosh was arrested by the police team from Udanapalli on November 5 from Bengaluru.

The camera was installed on November 2 in the bathroom of a room occupied by women from northern states, where Neelukumari also stayed, he said in a statement.

Following the protest by the women employees, Hosur Additional Collector Aakriti Sethi and the Superintendent of Police, arrived at the spot and held discussion with them and assured of ensuring safety.

Police had to pacify parents of women workers who had gathered in large numbers at the hostel on Wednesday.

Women police have been deployed to thoroughly check the premise to ascertain if hidden cameras were installed elsewhere, the official said.

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Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the proposed VB-G Ram G scheme, stating that the MNREGA programme, which has been a lifeline for rural India for nearly two decades, appears to be facing an uncertain future.

Speaking to media, Kharge said that as March 31 draws to a close, there is no clarity on the rollout of the new scheme from April 1. He pointed out that the central government has not yet issued the necessary guidelines for implementing the scheme for rural workers and villages.

He criticised the Centre for its lack of preparedness, stating that there is no clarity on fund allocation, no final parameters for classifying gram panchayats, and key processes such as social audits have not been defined.

Kharge said the situation comes at a critical time, as summer marks a peak period for rural employment demand, when many people depend heavily on wage employment for their livelihood.

He added that reports have emerged of delays in approvals and families not receiving work despite demand.

He further alleged that the Centre’s move to shift from a statutory employment guarantee to a rule-based allocation system is already showing negative consequences.

Kharge also raised concerns over provisions such as a mandatory 60-day halt during agricultural seasons, which he said would further limit employment opportunities for rural workers.

The BJP-led central government had claimed that the new scheme would transform rural India, but in reality it is turning out to be detrimental to people’s livelihoods, he said.

“The crisis in rural India due to the stalling of MNREGA is beginning to unfold. Given the Centre’s past record in handling such situations, there is growing concern over the impact on rural livelihoods,” Kharge said.