In a shocking incident at the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, two individuals were arrested on 23 December 2024, after a hidden camera was discovered in a private women’s changing room near the Rameswaram beach in Ramanathapuram district. The police were further alarmed when they discovered over 120 videos on the suspects’ cell phones, raising concerns about the possibility of these videos being shared via social media platforms like WhatsApp.
Rameswaram is a popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus, attracting devotees from across the country, particularly after a holy dip in the Agni Theertham and a visit to the famous Ramanathaswamy temple. It is here, at a private changing room opposite the beach, that the disturbing incident took place.
According to police reports, a group of 10 devotees from Thirumayat in Pudukottai district, including several women, arrived in Rameswaram for a spiritual trip. After taking a dip in the Agni Theertham, they paid a fee to use the changing room at a nearby tea shop. The tea stall owner directed the elderly women to one room and the younger women to another.
One of the young women, suspecting something amiss, inspected the room and discovered a hidden camera embedded between the tiles on the wall. Shocked, she immediately alerted her father, who then contacted the authorities.
Following the woman’s discovery, police led by Rameswaram DSP Shanthamoorthy conducted a search of the premises and seized the camera. The investigation led to the arrest of two suspects: Rajesh Kannan (34), the tea shop owner, and Meeran Moideen (34), a tea master employed at the shop. Both were arrested on charges of secretly recording women who came to change clothes. They were subsequently placed in custody at the Ramanathapuram jail.
Upon further investigation, police seized the suspects’ cell phones and found over 120 videos of women changing clothes, filmed over the past month. The authorities are now probing whether the footage was distributed or shared with others, including via messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
In response to the incident, Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjit Singh Kalon issued a statement confirming that the hidden camera had been seized, and that action had been taken against the perpetrators. The license for the room where the camera was discovered has been canceled, and the District Collector has urged devotees to use the changing rooms located within the temple premises or near the Agni Theertha beach, where security is ensured.
While this is already a serious invasion of privacy, what is more concerning is the Dravidianist media’s handling of the case. News reports from Dravidianist media outlets have been extremely selective in their coverage of the incident. While the name of Rajesh Kannan, the owner of the location, has been prominently featured, the name of Meeran Moideen, who is reportedly a key accomplice in this crime, has been conspicuously omitted from certain news outlets—particularly those with a clear Dravidianist bias.
For instance, News18 Tamil Nadu, under the direction of Karthigaichelvan, has chosen to focus solely on Kannan’s name, conveniently leaving out the full details of the involvement of Moideen. Their news card read,
“Secret Camera in Changing Room- Owner Arrested
Secret cameras in a changing room managed by a tea shop owner near Rameswaram beach. A camera was discovered when a woman went to change clothes; Police investigation found 3 cameras and arrested tea shop owner Rajesh and tea master.”
Alert : Hidden camera found at a private dress change room near Rameshwaram Ramanathanswamy temple.
After a holy dip in the Rameshwaram, a family paid at a private dress change room.
A girl has found a hidden camera in the room and handed it over to her father.
Based on… pic.twitter.com/5y25EuDdYs
— KS / Karthigaichelvan S (@karthickselvaa) December 24, 2024
This selective reporting raises questions about the underlying bias that exists in the media landscape. By omitting the identity of Moideen—who is reportedly Muslim—the outlet distorts the narrative and creates an incomplete picture of the incident.
The fact that the name of one of the perpetrators is selectively hidden reflects the growing trend of media outlets allowing political and ideological biases to influence their reporting. In this case, it seems that a deliberate attempt was made to obscure the involvement of an individual based on his religious background, which can only be seen as an attempt to downplay the potential implications of the crime.
The public’s right to know the full details of criminal cases, especially those involving sensitive issues such as invasion of privacy, is paramount. By withholding important information, Dravidianist media outlets are failing in their duty to provide unbiased, factual news. Instead of offering balanced coverage, they are instead distorting the truth to cater to a particular ideological narrative. This not only undermines journalistic integrity but also compromises public trust in the media.
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