Bengaluru woman finds hidden phone in sweet shop washroom, shares horrifying experience

In a city known for its tech parks and cafes, a disturbing incident from Bengaluru has brought attention to an issue many fear but few expect– violation of privacy in a public restroom. A woman recently shared a deeply unsettling experience on social media after visiting a popular sweet shop in Koramangala, where she claims to have discovered a hidden phone secretly recording inside the washroom.Uneasy feeling turns into a shocking discoveryThe woman had gone to the outlet of Anand Sweets & Savouries on a friend’s suggestion, hoping to find a clean and safe toilet while on her period. But once inside the first-floor washroom, something didn’t feel right.“At the first-floor washroom, I noticed the wall in front wasn’t fully made of bricks. Instead, the center part had fiberglass at the top and wooden strips at the level of the commode. I sensed something was wrong. I tapped the fiberglass and decided to crouch down and look through the wooden strips. That’s when I saw a phone placed on the other side. I saw the phone move. That’s when I realised I was being recorded,” she said in her post on Instagram (@itskrithu).

Allegations of inaction by staffShocked and panicked, she immediately approached the store staff, requesting them to check employees’ phones and help identify the person responsible. But her request, she said, was not taken seriously. She decided to call the police herself. After checking the CCTV footage, the police identified a technician who worked at the outlet and brought him in for questioning.“He called me didi”The woman said the technician later admitted to putting the device in the washroom and begged for forgiveness. “He confessed, claimed he deleted the videos, and begged for forgiveness, even calling me ‘didi’ and saying he had a newborn daughter. That only made me angrier. On checking his phone, I found images of other women from the internet alongside his baby's photo,” she said.Accusations against store managementAccording to the woman, her ordeal didn’t end with the technician’s confession. She claimed that company representatives tried to persuade her not to take the matter further. “He tried to emotionally manipulate me by saying he saw me as a daughter. But no father would ask his daughter to forgive such an act. He shifted blame, saying the accused worked for a third-party agency (Adityavani) and was a migrant worker they didn’t even know,” she said. As she tried to leave, she said she was emotionally overwhelmed and felt physically restricted. “I broke down and tried to leave. I felt trapped. I've been dealing with panic attacks and sleepless nights,” she added. She also said that many people around her advised her not to take legal action, warning that it might not result in a conviction and could harm her reputation.Anand Sweets issues official responseAfter the public backlash, Anand Sweets & Savouries released a statement showing concern and explaining the steps they plan to take. “We are deeply disturbed by the incident reported on April 25th at our Koramangala outlet. We do not condone such behaviour– these actions are unacceptable. The individual responsible was a technician contracted for maintenance. As a company that prioritises the safety and dignity of every guest, we are implementing stronger safeguards across all our locations. These include appointing female attendants for washrooms, assigning female managers at our stores to address escalations, ensuring separate washrooms for men and women, and conducting daily inspections of all washroom facilities. We are undertaking all necessary corrective actions to prevent any recurrence,” the company said in a statement to HT.Later, the company also issued a public apology on Instagram, expressing regret over the incident and assuring followers that they are taking strict action to ensure such violations do not happen again.