On 17 September 2025, police in Mayiladuthurai district arrested a 28-year-old man, identified as Mohamed Abrith, on charges of spying on a college student and four other women by secretly monitoring their mobile phone activities without their consent.
The accused, a resident of Agaravallam village near Perambur, worked at a browsing centre near the Old Bus Stand in Mayiladuthurai. According to police reports, a first-year college student from a nearby village visited the browsing centre on 10 September to register for a passport. Abrith allegedly told her to install a widely known parental control application on her phone, falsely claiming it was required for the passport registration process.
Unbeknownst to her, Abrith used the app’s screen mirroring and surveillance features to monitor her phone remotely. He gained unauthorized access to her photo gallery, WhatsApp messages, and even activated her phone’s camera to track her daily movements. The student grew suspicious after noticing unusual notifications and rapid battery drainage. Concerned, she informed her parents, who promptly filed a complaint with the local police.
Sub-Inspector C. Arun Kumar from the cybercrime unit led the investigation, which confirmed that Abrith had been digitally stalking the student. He was arrested by a police team on 17 September.
Further inquiry revealed that Abrith had similarly spied on four other women who had visited the browsing centre for unrelated services. He was later produced before a judicial magistrate and placed in judicial custody.
Mayiladuthurai Superintendent of Police G. Stalin urged the public to be cautious about installing unfamiliar apps and warned against sharing personal devices in public browsing centres. He emphasized the importance of digital awareness and vigilance to prevent such violations of privacy.
(With inputs from Times of India)
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