More than 550 million people from different parts of the country have taken the holy dip at Maha Kumbh so far. While women, elderly, and children are participating enthusiastically in the Mahakumbh festival, disturbing reports have emerged about the violation of privacy of women devotees who took holi dip in Sangam.
According to a report by Hindi TV channel Aaj Tak, objectionable videos of women bathing at the Kumbh are being recorded and sold on Telegram channels.
The report reveals that inappropriate videos are being shared on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram using hashtags like '#mahakumbh2025', '#gangasnan', and '#prayagrajkumbh'. These posts are being used to direct people to pornographic content channels on Telegram.
Some videos being shared as Kumbh footage were not even recorded during the event, yet they are being falsely labeled as Kumbh-related content.
According to the Telemetrio tool, there was a significant spike in searches for the term "open bathing" on Telegram between February 12 and 18.
Several Telegram channels with names like "Ganga river open bathing group," "Hidden bath videos group," and "Open bath videos group" have been created where videos of women bathing and changing clothes are being sold.
The issue extends beyond Mahakumbh, as CCTV footage of women's private medical check-up from hospitals is also being sold on Telegram. What's concerning is that this is happening on a large scale and brazenly.
DIG Kumbh Vaibhav Krishna has taken cognizance of the Aaj Tak report. Responding to the news, he stated, "Such Social Media Profiles/Telegram Groups are being identified. FIR being registered against them."
