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3 students, including local ABVP office bearer, arrested for ‘recording’ women changing clothes in Madhya Pradesh college

Joshi, who was a city secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) — the student body linked to the RSS — was removed from his post after the incident.

The incident took place on Tuesday during a youth festival at a college in Mandasur district. (File Photo)

Three students of a government college were arrested for allegedly secretly recording women while they were changing their clothes ahead of a cultural event in Madhya Pradesh.

The incident took place on Tuesday during a youth festival at a college in Mandasur district. Police said that CCTV footage allegedly showed four men sneaking in and taking photos and videos of the women students who were getting ready in the changing rooms. The acting principal of the school brought the suspicious activity to the police’s notice and filed a complaint.

The three arrested students, who were between the ages of 20 and 22, were identified as Umesh Joshi, Ajay Gaud, and Himanshu Bairagi. Joshi, who was a city secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) — the student body linked to the RSS — was removed from his post after the incident.

Police said that while three students were arrested, they are also looking for a fourth. “The CCTV footage clearly shows four boys peeping through the window. Following this, a case was registered. Three of the accused have been arrested, while the fourth is missing. Mobile phones of the arrested students have been seized for forensic examination,” said Mandsaur Superintendent of Police Vinod Meena.

The ABVP, however, claimed that the four students were checking the college canteen room out of suspicion as questionable activities had allegedly taken place there earlier.

“This simple, doubt-driven act was misrepresented by some people, even though the room in question was not a girls’ common room. When some female students mistakenly assumed that photos or videos had been taken, they informed the principal, who then checked the CCTV footage and informed the police. Subsequently, the police took three students to the station and examined their mobile phones, but no photo, video, or any inappropriate material was found,” said ABVP national secretary Kumari Shalini Verma.

A senior police officer probing the case said the arrested accused have been presented in court and their phones are being examined.

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“Although there is no evidence yet that the girls were actually videotaped, we are taking action under applicable laws,” the officer said.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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