Guwahati: Assam Police on Friday said they were probing how three boys from two prominent private schools were involved in creating explicit deepfake images and videos of at least 64 female schoolmates and teachers, using photos lifted from individual and school’s Instagram accounts and sold them online.
Two students were immediately suspended, and the case has been referred to ‘child abuse monitoring committees,’ one of the schools said, while cybercrime police said they have initiated an investigation.
“We have received the complaint in connection to the case and investigators are currently conducting a technical analysis to identify the source of the images and finding out the online platforms where the content was uploaded and circulated,” a senior police officer told TOI.
One school said in an official statement that the matter came to notice of the authorities on Thursday, and they immediately initiated the established protocol and referred the matter to relevant committees.
“A preliminary inquiry is underway. Meetings have been held with the concerned parents and guardians,” the school said, adding that as an interim measure, the students, who were found to be involved in the alleged activity, have been placed under suspension till the completion of the inquiry. “Further actions will be taken in accordance with school regulations and applicable laws,” it added.
“Until the inquiry is completed, we urge all students and parents to refrain from circulating unverified information, images or content related to the matter, as doing so may cause further distress and interfere with the investigation process,” the school said.
While schools maintain zero-tolerance policy towards cyber misconduct and misuse of digital platforms and behaviour that may adversely affect the well-being of students, the city has witnessed a disturbing pattern of cyber misconduct targeting female students in the past as well.
Two years ago, three Class XI students of a renowned school were arrested for sharing morphed nude images of a minor female peer. The altered pictures were circulated among classmates, forcing district education authorities to issue directives mandating daily checks of students’ bags and pockets in schools to curb such behaviour.
In 2023, another incident shook the city when 20 female students at a local college fell victim to cyber criminals who manipulated their photographs to create obscene images and circulated them online.
These cases underscore the growing misuse of digital tools and the urgent need for stronger safeguards. Experts stress that schools and colleges must adopt stricter monitoring, while parents and students require awareness programmes on cyber safety and digital ethics.
The recurrence of such incidents has reignited debate on how institutions, law enforcement, and society can work together to protect minors from deepfake abuse and online exploitation.
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About the Author Tathagata Bhattacharjee: He is based in Guwahati and with over a year of experience, he covers topics related to civic issues, environment, and government policy in the Northeast region. He is known for reporting on regional developments and social issues.
