We have been reading many articles about how young women spotted a hidden camera above a shelf in a washroom. Recently there was news that two students filmed a young lady in a trial room of a mall in Jubilee Hills. It goes without saying, women in the city are worried as they tend to go out quite often these days, and one cannot keep checking every nook and corner for hidden cameras.

While some might brush these off as one-off incidents, prevention, as they say, is better than cure. One person who has made it his mission to create awareness among women and the public in general regarding these matters happens to be Rupesh Mittal, founder of city-based organization Cyber Jagrithi Foundation, the first organization of its kind in South Asia.

Rupesh has some tips for those who are obviously worried about the way things are happening:

As most cameras work via the internet, it is better to switch on Wi-Fi and look for questionable networks. If you feel unsafe, immediately move out.

There are infrared camera detectors available in the market that cost about Rs 400 to Rs 500 on e-commerce websites.

All cameras have dark lenses. So check the room thoroughly. Turn on brighter lights if there are dark areas in the room. Bulbs could have cameras too, so if you find a black spot on them, don't dismiss it as a design or an insect. Also, there could be a hidden camera in adapters.

There have been instances of people hiding cameras in LED bulbs, be aware.

Last, make sure that the mirrors are not double-layered. One way to find that out is to place your finger horizontally against the mirror. If the end of the mirror touches the reflection of your finger in the mirror, it's a double-layered mirror, and you are surely being recorded.

And most importantly, when you find such a device, immediately call the police—dial 100. You will be redirected to the nearest police station, and a cop will arrive at the location. Don't make the mistake of alerting the management before calling the police. Evidence could have been tampered with, or worse still, the footage can be leaked by miscreants.