FIR registered against Insta account for secretly 'filming' women on Bengaluru metro

Bengaluru: An FIR has been registered against unknown persons for "clicking pictures and recording videos" of women travelling on the Bengaluru metro without their consent, and later uploading them on social media platforms, police said on Wednesday.

The photos and videos uploaded on the Instagram account identified as Bangalore Metro Clicks (@metro_chicks), which had over 6,000 followers, have now been deleted, police added.

The issue, according to police, came to light on May 20 when a police officer was reviewing social media platforms for any suspicious posts as part of a routine probe. He then came across this Instagram account, which had 14 such unsolicited videos and pictures, allegedly taken inside metro coaches and on station premises.

None of the women appeared to be aware that they were being photographed, police said.

The account has since removed all the posts following widespread backlash and the police registering a case on their own.

"Concerning a certain Instagram page that uploaded videos and photos of women travellers using Bengaluru metro without their knowledge and consent, a case of voyeurism and under the Information Technology Act has been registered at Banashankari police station," said Lokesh B Jagalasar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

"An investigation is underway to trace the accused, the page handler, as well as the person who may have shot the videos. We will soon trace the accused and work towards creating a safe environment for women citizens," he added.