Udupi college fiasco: Such incidents should not be linked to any religion, says college committee
Committee further stated that there was no communal angle to the issue
Udupi: Udupi's Netra Jyoti Paramedical College found itself embroiled in controversy recently when an incident involving the filming of a female student in the college washroom surfaced.
The incident, which took place on July 18, led to the immediate suspension of three female students allegedly involved in the act. The college authorities handed over the mobile phone, believed to be used in the incident, to the police as evidence.
However, upon investigation, the police found that the mobile phone did not contain any video related to the incident, as clarified by the District Police Superintendent, Akshay Hakay Machhindra, during a press conference in Udupi.
Following an online outrage and series of attempts to give communal angle to the matter, the college director, Rashmi Krishna Prasad, addressed the media and revealed that the three students involved had voluntarily confessed to their actions. The students claimed that they made the video recording as a prank and engaged in the act for amusement. The victim also stated that she would not be filing any complaint against the three students.
Rashmi further disclosed that the students attempted to place a hidden camera inside the restroom but were unsuccessful, leading them to record the video using their mobile phones while standing outside the restroom. Another female student who was inside the restroom witnessed the incident and reported it to the college authorities.
The college's principal and academic coordinator, Balakrishna, emphasized that incidents like these should not be associated with any religion, as students from different religious backgrounds study at the institution. He clarified that the college had prohibited the use of mobile phones, and these students violated the rule, leading to their involvement in the video recording.
Both Rashmi and Balakrishna urged against spreading false information about the incident on social media and emphasized the need to maintain harmony within the student community.
Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna reacted to the incident, expressing disapproval of such misconduct and calling for appropriate action against the three students involved. He also speculated about potential hidden motives behind the incident and pledged to bring the matter to the attention of the Chief Minister and the Home Minister.
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Trump rushed out of dinner event after shots fired; one arrested
Washington (PTI): US President Donald Trump and other top White House officials were evacuated unharmed from the annual dinner of White House correspondents after a man armed with multiple weapons fired shots outside the ballroom of the hotel.
The incident took place at around 8:34 PM local time when dinner was served. At that time, Trump was seen having a conversation with Weijia Jiang, the President of the White House Correspondents' Association, and mentalist Oz Pearlman, who was scheduled to present a show at the marquee event at the Washington Hilton here.
Secret Service officials and other security personnel covered the President, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J D Vance, and the Second Lady Usha Vance, who were seated at the head table, and escorted them out of the ballroom.
Several guests at the dinner, including leaders across the political spectrum, journalists and other invitees, ducked under the table, apparently as a reflex reaction.
Putting up a brave face, President Trump later announced on Truth Social that the dinner would be rescheduled within 30 days.
“Boom, boom, boom, boom is all that I heard, and many guests ducked under the table,” a C-SPAN reporter at the dinner said.
Hours later, Trump addressed a press conference at the White House and announced that the security personnel had captured one person who hails from California.
“I heard a noise and sort of thought it was a tray going down. I've heard that many times. It was a pretty loud noise, and it was from quite far away. He (the attacker) hadn't reached the area at all. They really got him,” Trump told reporters, recalling the incident.
Trump said one security officer was shot at but saved as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
Several protestors had lined up on the road outside the hotel, raising slogans against the Trump administration and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A CNN reporter who was outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton said he saw a gunman opening fire just a few feet away. He was among the dozens of attendees who took cover as law enforcement swarmed the venue.
The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from California.
Asked how Saturday’s incident impacts him as the US president, Trump told reporters he is in a dangerous job but that he is no “basket case.”
“I like not to think about it. I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it’s a dangerous life. I think I handle it as well as it can be handled,” Trump said.
Trump has survived two assassination attempts over the past two years – first at a presidential election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, and later in Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.
“I will say you had Republicans, Democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals, and progressives...everybody in that room, big crowd, record-setting crowd,” he said.
“We had some great work done by law enforcement, but in light of this evening's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully,” Trump said.
