A serious incident surfaced when a hidden camera was reportedly found inside the women's restroom of a prominent restaurant in Dehradun. Advocate Khushboo Nigam, who raised the alarm, claimed that a camera was concealed in the restroom, allegedly capturing video recordings. She informed that she had gone to Anandam Restaurant for dinner with 11 family members around 9 PM. Observing the camera hidden in the false ceiling, she promptly notified the manager and captured a photograph of the hidden camera as evidence.
The victim accused the restaurant owner of attempting to cover up the matter, suggesting they hand over the cleaning staff. The owner also mentioned that the restaurant's CCTV cameras were not operational, making it difficult to track who was entering and exiting the restroom. Furthermore, the advocate stated that the owner accused them of not paying their bill before she made calls to 1090 and 112.
Hidden Camera in Women's Washroom
Restaurant owner Anand Gupta expressed deep embarrassment over the incident, promising an investigation against his staff. Gupta, a 72-year-old senior citizen who recently underwent angioplasty, received the news around 10 PM and managed to reach the restaurant by 11:45 PM to look into the matter.
Police Arrest the Accused
SSP Dehradun confirmed the arrest of the accused, Vinod Mandal, who during interrogation revealed that he had placed the mobile phone a month ago through a hole used for cleaning after a rat died in the restroom. According to the SSP, there was no camera device, just a mobile phone belonging to a cleaning staff.
Following the incident, Women’s Commission Chairperson Kusum Kandwal inspected the site and demanded stringent action from the district magistrate and administration. She also insisted on the verification of all hotels and restaurants in the capital to ensure functioning CCTV cameras and no lapses in the security of women's washrooms.
