IIT Bombay canteen to open only if women staff can man it

Mumbai: On Sunday evening, a night canteen worker from IIT Bombay was interrogated and arrested under section 354c of IPC for peeping into the girls' hostel bathroom.

A hostel resident saw the phone camera recording her from the window of the first floor bathroom. She immediately raised alarm and the Dean intervened.

"There was an attempt to violate the personal space of women residents of a hostel by an employee of the hostel night canteen, by climbing a pipe duct. Because of the alertness of the residents, the culprit was caught and handed over to the Police."

"The investigation, including cyber investigation, is being carried out by the Mumbai police. The Institute, as per the initial report, is not aware of any footage being shared from the phones confiscated from the culprit," stated the official comment from the institute.

The five staff members from the night canteen were taken to the Powai Police station for interrogation, after which one of them was arrested.

"The canteen has been shut down immediately and will reopen, only if staffed exclusively by women. Gaps in the ducts, which may have been used by the suspects, have been closed.

We are in discussions with the students to see what other additional steps we can take. IIT Bombay stands with its students and we will do everything in our capacity to ensure the safety and security of our students," it said.