Smooching video during 'Truth or Dare' spells trouble for 2nd PU students in Karnataka

A 20-second video of some second-PU students French-kissing during a game of ‘Truth or Dare’ has gained popularity on social media, and garnered notoriety for the 11 students, including three girls, who study in a prestigious pre-university college here.

According to sources in the police, the student who shot the video, also told them that one of the girls in the group was allegedly sexually assaulted by her male friends during the Truth or Dare game.

“The incident took place some seven months ago, in January this year,” Mangaluru Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar said on Thursday. The incident occurred at an apartment in Bavutagudda, the police said, quoting the student who captured the game on camera, and had uploaded it on WhatsApp a few days ago.

The boy was detained for questioning, the commissioner informed. While being questioned, he revealed that 11 of his friends studying in second PU started playing Truth or Dare at the apartment that was rented by two students from Kodagu district.

According to Kumar, his knowledge about ‘Truth or Dare’ was only from films. Those who could not reveal the truth should then accept the dare and accomplish the challenge. The internet has many such Truth or Dare questions and challenges, he said.

The boy also told the police that one of the girls was also sexually assaulted by her friends.

The police suspected that the boy released the video on social media out of jealousy. The Mangaluru police commissioner who visited their apartment, was informed by the house owner, a woman, that the two boys were “kicked out” two months ago.

“After I found liquor bottles in their trash, I contacted their mothers and kicked them out,” the woman informed the police, saying she was unaware of the video clipping or the Truth or Dare games, because both she and her husband go to work during the day.

After the video came to light, the college administration placed it as evidence before a disciplinary committee, and they informed the police commissioner.

“The committee took action by placing all students under suspension,” Kumar said, quoting the college staff. “With no one coming forward, no case was registered. Investigation is underway about whether the students had consumed drugs. Based on the gravity of the case, and whether the victims were minors, the police will register a suo moto case,” he said.

Kumar, while recollecting another incident, said the police had registered 11 cases under the Pocso act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act) following a tip-off from a principal of another school in late 2021. The commissioner also appealed to colleges to monitor their students’ activities and to inform parents if there are regular absentees.

Information on any unlawful activities should be shared with the police, in order to prevent any untoward incidents from happening, he stressed.