What is the lip-lock challenge? Why have eight Karnataka college students been booked?

Eight students have been booked by Karnataka police after video of college students kissing in the presence of others at a private residence created a controversy after going viral on social media.

The students were booked for alleged offences punishable under sections 376, 354, 354 (C) and 120 (B) of the IPC and different sections of the POCSO and IT Acts, police sources said.

A 17-year-old boy, who uploaded the lip-lock video on social media, is one of the accused.

Let’s take a look at what happened, the challenge and why the students have been booked:

What happened?

As per NDTV, the students reportedly got together at an apartment in February. The video purportedly showed a boy and a girl in their uniforms, kissing while their friends cheer them on.

The video was filmed six months ago, but was uploaded recently, police said.

The kiss apparently was part of a "truth or dare" game.

The act was part of the lip-lock competition, the Mangaluru police told DNA.

One of the boys in the group had shared the video on WhatsApp which came to the notice of their school, as per the report.

What’s the fuss about?

The story has taken a darker turn.

A girl seen in the video told police that she knew the boys in that apartment and that she had a physical relationship with one of them which was filmed. The other boys blackmailed her using the video, the girl alleged, as per NDTV.

Sources said the case was registered after investigations revealed that all the eight boys sexually assaulted the two girls in the group on different occasions at several places using the clips of sexual acts as blackmail.

Sources say that the students belonged to a reputed college and the video has shocked the traditional coastal district and raised concern among parents.

The Mangaluru police are acting swiftly on the issue as it is likely to turn into a crisis.

N Shashi Kumar told news agency PTI that the police will also verify whether the students had used drugs while holding the lip-lock competition.

One of the accused students has gone abroad, and the police will question all the accused in the case. The police department had requested college and school authorities to keep vigil on the activities of students.

It has also directed the authorities of educational institutions to allow police to investigate serious matters instead of sorting it out through internal committees.

City police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said the probe will be taken to its logical end.

The college managements should keep a vigil on students’ activities and bring to the notice of the police such cases of extreme indiscipline and misconduct, he said.

With inputs from agencies

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