Kerala College Student Held for Circulating Morphed Images of Peers, Teachers

The Thrikkakara police in Ernakulam took a second-year student of Bharata Mata College into custody on Thursday (September 3, 2026) for allegedly morphing photographs of fellow students and teachers and circulating them online.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by the college management. Principal Soumya Thomas confirmed that the student was dismissed from the institution after a disciplinary committee verified the allegations. His mobile phone has been handed over to the police for further examination.

The matter reportedly came to light when a former student alerted a faculty member about the morphed images being shared on digital platforms. The development triggered an uproar on campus, with students staging a protest demanding strict action against the accused.

Protesters also alleged that the management allowed the student to leave the campus with relatives before informing the police. They further claimed that other students may have been involved in sharing the photographs online. Police personnel had to intervene as demonstrators staged a sit-in outside the college office.

College authorities stated that while students alleged similar images were found on another student's device, this could not be independently verified. They added that further action rests with the police.

The police have registered the case under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman), Section 67 of the Information Technology Act (publishing or transmitting obscene material electronically), and Section 119(1)(b) of the Kerala Police Act (violating privacy through photographs or recordings).

A senior police official said a preliminary inquiry is underway, and further steps will be taken after a detailed forensic examination of the seized mobile phone and the online platforms where the images were allegedly shared.