Residents stunned by neighbourhood discovery

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">PUNE: The discovery of a webcam scam, involving the alleged secret filming of three college girls in Pune, has shocked neighbours in the Navi Peth area of this city, which is famed as a major educational centre in the country.<br /><br />A few thousand students from various parts of India and abroad stay in college hostels and rented apartments in Pune while studying in the various universities and institutes here.<br /><br />The college girls, who approached the police with their complaint, were visibly shaken while speaking to reporters outside the Senadatta police <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">chowky</span> on Tuesday.<br /><br />"We have nothing to say, we have given our application to the police officials," one of the girls said.<br /><br />Neighbours said the three girls were staying in one room and had moved to the Bharadwaj bungalow as recently as January 1.There were four other college girls staying as tenants on the premises. "One of the girls heard some gossip about a hidden camera in the room they were staying. They searched the room and found an instrument," a neighbour said. The girls then confronted their landlord, Mohan Kulkarni, and demanded a refund of their deposit of Rs 2,400.<br /><br />It was only when he refused to pay back the deposit, the girls approached the Vishrambaug police station. "Kulkarni has been offering rooms on rent since long and arguments between tenants and Kulkarni are common," one of the neighbours, who declined to be identified, said. There were more girls staying here last year, he said.<br /><br />A visit to the scene revealed that the bungalow was an old structure. Police inspector Arjun Sakunde and assistant commissioner of police Bharti Kurade said they had sealed the house and more searches would be conducted later in the night. A thorough check of the wiring would be done, Kurade said. "It is too early to say if any filming was taking place," she added.</div> </div>