The Dark Side of Maha Kumbh: The Exploitation of Women’s Privacy on Telegram

Introduction

Maha Kumbh, the largest religious gathering in the world, is a spectacle of faith, devotion, and tradition. Every 12 years, millions of pilgrims, sadhus, and tourists gather at the sacred banks of rivers like the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati to take a holy dip. The festival is a symbol of India’s deep-rooted spiritual heritage, bringing together people from different walks of life in a grand celebration of faith.

However, in recent times, this sacred event has been tainted by a disturbing trend: the unauthorized sale of women’s photos and videos on Telegram and other online platforms. This exploitation raises serious concerns about privacy violations, digital safety, and the ethical boundaries of content sharing in the digital age.

In this blog, we will explore the issue in depth, understand the motives behind such activities, and discuss how authorities and individuals can combat this exploitation.

Maha Kumbh: A Divine Gathering With a Modern Challenge

Maha Kumbh is a time for spiritual purification, but with the rise of smartphones and social media, it has also become a hotspot for digital exploitation. While photography has always been a part of cultural documentation, the unauthorized capturing and selling of women’s images without their consent has turned into an alarming issue.

How It Happened: The Dark Side of Maha Kumbh’s Digital Exploitation

Maha Kumbh, a grand festival of faith, has always been a mesmerizing spectacle, drawing millions of devotees from across the world. However, in recent times, this sacred gathering has also become a target for digital exploitation, with a growing number of people capturing and selling unauthorized images and videos of women on platforms like Telegram. The problem begins with the vast crowds and the unrestricted use of cameras and smartphones, making it nearly impossible to regulate who is filming and for what purpose. While many attend the event with pure spiritual intentions, a section of opportunistic individuals misuse the event’s openness to secretly capture women engaged in religious activities, such as bathing in the holy rivers.

The primary method used by these individuals is stealth photography and videography. With the availability of high-resolution smartphones and professional cameras, perpetrators can zoom in from great distances, capturing clear images without detection. Some even go to the extent of using hidden cameras or small wearable devices, ensuring that they remain unnoticed while filming. The problem escalates when these images and videos are uploaded onto encrypted platforms like Telegram, where content can be distributed anonymously. Unlike social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, Telegram offers end-to-end encryption and allows users to create private groups or paid channels where explicit content can be sold without revealing the identity of the seller. This anonymity provides a safe space for exploiters, making it challenging for law enforcement agencies to track and take down offenders.

The process does not stop at mere sharing. Some individuals take advantage of Telegram’s paid membership model, setting up channels where subscribers must pay to access the leaked content. These groups often advertise themselves on other social media platforms under code names to avoid detection, luring in buyers who are willing to pay for exclusive access to unauthorized images. The prices for such content can range from small one-time payments to expensive subscriptions, depending on the nature and exclusivity of the material. While Telegram does have policies against such behavior, enforcement is often weak, as content can be reuploaded within minutes even if removed.

Another major issue contributing to this crisis is the lack of awareness among victims. Many women participating in Maha Kumbh are unaware that they are being filmed, as they are often too engrossed in their religious practices to notice discreet cameras. Others may assume that a person holding a camera is simply a tourist or journalist documenting the event, unaware that the footage could be used for exploitative purposes. This lack of awareness makes it easier for perpetrators to operate freely, as victims are less likely to raise immediate concerns or report suspicious behavior. Additionally, even when victims do realize that their privacy has been violated, they often hesitate to report the crime due to social stigma. In conservative societies, women fear that lodging complaints about such incidents may lead to further embarrassment, victim-blaming, or unnecessary legal complications, preventing them from taking action.

Apart from individuals engaging in stealth photography, organized groups have also entered the scene, treating this illegal trade as a full-fledged business. These groups often send members to Maha Kumbh with professional camera equipment to capture high-quality content, later distributing it through underground networks for profit. Some groups even collaborate with tech-savvy individuals who help them bypass security measures, remove metadata from images to avoid tracking, and set up secure payment gateways for their illegal trade. This level of organization makes it increasingly difficult for authorities to clamp down on perpetrators, as their operations are not random acts of voyeurism but well-planned digital crimes designed to evade detection.

Adding to the complexity of the issue is the failure of regulatory frameworks to keep up with the speed of digital crime. While Indian laws, such as the Information Technology (IT) Act and IPC Section 354C, explicitly criminalize voyeurism and unauthorized content sharing, enforcement is slow. Cyber police units often struggle to track perpetrators due to the encrypted nature of Telegram and similar platforms. Even when authorities do manage to identify offenders, the legal process is often long and complicated, with many cases getting stuck in procedural delays. Furthermore, Telegram, being based outside India, does not always cooperate with law enforcement requests as quickly as required, allowing offenders to continue their activities with minimal fear of repercussions.

This exploitation also reflects a larger societal problem—the normalization of privacy invasion in public spaces. The easy availability of digital tools and the lack of strict regulations regarding photography in mass gatherings have led to an environment where such violations are not taken seriously. Many people argue that “public spaces mean no expectation of privacy,” failing to recognize that consent still matters. Just because a woman is attending a public event does not mean she has given permission for her images to be recorded and distributed. However, due to a lack of clear ethical guidelines on photography in public religious events, offenders often justify their actions as mere documentation, ignoring the severe emotional and social consequences their actions may have on the victims.

Apart from direct exploitation, this trend also leads to secondary dangers, such as identity theft and cyberstalking. Many victims of unauthorized photography find their images misused in deepfake content, fake social media profiles, or even pornographic edits, leading to further psychological distress. Once an image is uploaded to the internet, it is nearly impossible to remove it entirely, as content can be copied and reshared indefinitely. This means that even if a victim successfully reports and removes a specific Telegram group, their images might already have been circulated across various platforms, making it an endless battle to regain control over their personal content.

In addition to the impact on individual victims, this exploitation damages the sanctity of Maha Kumbh itself. Instead of being recognized as a grand celebration of faith and devotion, the event risks being tainted by the unethical behavior of a few. The presence of such exploitation discourages women from fully participating in rituals, as they fear that their private moments of worship might be misused. This reduces the inclusivity of the event, as women and families become hesitant to attend in large numbers, fearing privacy violations. Moreover, international attention on such cases affects India’s global reputation, as incidents of digital exploitation during religious festivals paint a negative image of how public spaces are regulated.

To combat this crisis, multiple stakeholders must take responsibility—from law enforcement agencies and digital platforms to the general public. Authorities must strengthen cyber monitoring systems, using AI-based tracking tools to detect illegal content and trace its source. Social media platforms and encrypted messaging services must improve their content moderation strategies, ensuring that illegal activities are not allowed to thrive in the shadows. Public awareness campaigns should be launched to educate women about their digital rights and encourage them to report suspicious activities. Additionally, ethical photography guidelines should be established for media and visitors attending Maha Kumbh, ensuring that no one’s privacy is violated in the name of cultural documentation.

Maha Kumbh is meant to be a place of peace, devotion, and spiritual rejuvenation. Allowing such digital exploitation to continue unchecked goes against the very principles that the festival stands for. It is crucial to act now before privacy invasion becomes normalized in such sacred spaces, ensuring that faith, not fear, remains the defining element of this grand spiritual gathering.

The Legal and Ethical Implications

The unauthorized capturing, sharing, and selling of images and videos of women at Maha Kumbh is not only a serious ethical violation but also a direct breach of Indian laws designed to protect personal privacy and dignity. In a digital age where content spreads rapidly across platforms, the legal framework in India has been evolving to address cybercrimes, including voyeurism and non-consensual image distribution. Despite the presence of laws, enforcement remains a significant challenge due to the anonymity provided by encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram, where illegal activities can occur without easy traceability.

Indian law categorically criminalizes acts of voyeurism, unauthorized photography, and the non-consensual distribution of images. The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 plays a crucial role in addressing such digital crimes by setting legal standards for electronic communication and content dissemination. Under this act, the unauthorized capture or circulation of private images without consent falls under cyber offenses, and offenders can be penalized with fines and imprisonment. The IT Act also empowers authorities to remove objectionable content from digital platforms, although the process often faces delays due to the technical challenges of tracking down perpetrators operating on encrypted networks.

Additionally, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 354C explicitly criminalizes voyeurism, making it illegal to capture or distribute images of women without their permission, especially in private or semi-private settings. This law was strengthened following increasing cases of digital exploitation, ensuring that offenders face strict legal consequences. Voyeurism, as defined under this section, includes not only physically spying on individuals but also using technology to invade their privacy. The punishment under IPC Section 354C includes imprisonment ranging from one to three years, along with fines, depending on the severity of the offense. However, despite this strong legal provision, the vast number of cases and the difficulty in identifying culprits online mean that enforcement is not always effective.

Another relevant legal provision is Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000, which penalizes the publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form. This section is particularly applicable in cases where private images of women, obtained without consent, are shared or sold through social media or encrypted platforms. Offenders found guilty under this provision can face imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to ten lakh rupees, depending on the nature of the violation. However, the effectiveness of this law depends on the ability of law enforcement agencies to trace the original sources of the content, which remains a challenge due to the use of fake accounts and proxy servers.

Apart from legal frameworks addressing voyeurism and unauthorized content distribution, privacy laws in India also provide a legal basis for victims to take action. The Supreme Court of India has recognized the Right to Privacy as a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Constitution, reinforcing that any unauthorized invasion into a person’s private life—whether through digital means or physical surveillance—constitutes a violation of constitutional rights. This ruling strengthens the legal ground for victims of digital exploitation to seek justice and demand the removal of unauthorized images from online platforms. However, practical implementation remains a concern, as tech companies often cite jurisdictional limitations when asked to take down content hosted on international servers.

While these laws provide a strong foundation for tackling digital crimes, enforcement challenges remain due to the decentralized and anonymous nature of digital platforms like Telegram. Unlike traditional social media platforms that have stricter content moderation policies, Telegram allows users to create private groups with thousands of members, making it difficult for authorities to track down and shut illegal activities in real time. Although law enforcement agencies work with cybercrime units to monitor such activities, the encrypted nature of communication means that perpetrators can quickly delete evidence and re-upload content under different usernames, creating a constant game of digital cat-and-mouse.

Moreover, the legal system often struggles with jurisdictional challenges in prosecuting individuals operating from different parts of the country or even outside India. Since Telegram’s servers are hosted in multiple international locations, taking legal action against the platform itself is difficult, requiring diplomatic cooperation and international cybercrime agreements. While Indian authorities have made efforts to collaborate with global digital platforms to improve content moderation, the response time is often slow, allowing exploitative content to spread before it can be taken down. This delay increases the damage to victims, who find themselves unable to control the circulation of their personal images once they go viral.

Beyond legal implications, the unauthorized sale and distribution of women’s images from Maha Kumbh also raise serious ethical concerns about privacy, consent, and digital responsibility. The ethical issue lies not only with those directly involved in capturing and selling the images but also with those consuming and sharing such content. The normalization of voyeuristic photography at public events contributes to a larger cultural problem where individuals feel entitled to capture and distribute images of others without considering the implications on the person’s dignity and emotional well-being. The justification that public events are free for photography ignores the fundamental principle of consent, which remains a crucial aspect of ethical content sharing.

Ethically, journalists, photographers, and social media users have a responsibility to respect the dignity and privacy of individuals attending religious or cultural gatherings. Many professional media organizations have established guidelines on ethical photography, emphasizing that images of individuals should not be captured or published without their consent, especially if the content is sensitive or could lead to harm. However, amateur photographers and digital opportunists operating outside these professional guidelines often disregard these ethical norms, prioritizing financial gain over basic human rights. This lack of accountability in digital spaces allows the exploitation of women’s privacy to continue unchecked, reinforcing the need for stricter ethical guidelines and enforcement mechanisms.

Furthermore, the commodification of women’s images through Telegram and other platforms highlights a disturbing aspect of digital voyeurism, where personal moments are turned into marketable content for profit. This practice not only objectifies women but also reduces them to mere subjects of entertainment or financial transactions, stripping them of their agency and autonomy. The ethical failure extends beyond the sellers to those who willingly pay for and consume such content, contributing to an online ecosystem where privacy violations are normalized rather than condemned. Addressing this issue requires a cultural shift in how digital audiences perceive and engage with unauthorized content, reinforcing the idea that consuming such material is not only unethical but also indirectly supports illegal activities.

To mitigate the legal and ethical concerns surrounding digital exploitation at Maha Kumbh, a multi-faceted approach is required, combining strict law enforcement, public awareness campaigns, ethical media practices, and proactive digital monitoring. Government agencies must work closely with social media platforms to improve content moderation and take swift action against illegal groups engaged in voyeurism. Simultaneously, public education campaigns should inform Maha Kumbh attendees, particularly women, about their digital rights and the steps they can take to report unauthorized content. Ethical photography guidelines should also be reinforced for all individuals attending the event, ensuring that consent remains a priority in all forms of documentation.

Ultimately, tackling the legal and ethical challenges of unauthorized content distribution requires a collective effort from law enforcement agencies, digital platforms, media professionals, and the public. Only through strict legal action, ethical awareness, and technological advancements in content moderation can society prevent such violations and ensure that Maha Kumbh remains a sacred space free from digital exploitation.

The Role of Social Media and Digital Platforms

The rise of digital platforms has revolutionized communication, offering unprecedented connectivity and privacy to users. However, the same features that make platforms like Telegram attractive for personal and professional use also provide opportunities for misuse, particularly in cases of digital exploitation. Telegram and similar platforms operate with end-to-end encryption and anonymity features, ensuring that messages, images, and videos shared within the app remain private between the sender and the receiver. While these features are crucial for protecting free speech, safeguarding sensitive information, and ensuring user privacy, they have also become a safe haven for individuals engaged in illegal activities, including the unauthorized capture and sale of images and videos of women from public events like Maha Kumbh.

Unlike traditional social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, where strict community guidelines regulate content, Telegram allows users to create private and public groups with thousands of members without requiring identity verification. This lack of stringent monitoring enables individuals to share explicit or unauthorized content anonymously, making it difficult for authorities to track the source of such content. Many perpetrators take advantage of this system by setting up private Telegram channels that operate as black markets, where users can access illegal content in exchange for money or cryptocurrency payments, further complicating law enforcement efforts. Since Telegram does not require users to provide real names or verified identities, offenders can easily create multiple accounts, making it nearly impossible to hold them accountable.

Another major concern is the speed at which content spreads on Telegram and similar platforms. Once an image or video is uploaded, it can be downloaded, reshared, and reposted across multiple groups and channels in a matter of seconds. Even if a specific channel is reported and taken down, new ones quickly emerge under different names, continuing the illegal trade. This cycle creates a self-sustaining ecosystem of digital exploitation, where content is constantly circulated, making it difficult for victims to regain control over their privacy. Unlike traditional cybercrimes, where digital footprints can be traced, Telegram’s encrypted nature makes it extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to track down the original source of leaked content.

In addition to hosting private groups, Telegram also allows the creation of paid subscription-based channels, where users can charge money for access to exclusive content. This monetization model has been widely exploited by those engaging in the illegal sale of personal images and videos, turning privacy violations into a lucrative business. Some individuals go as far as advertising these groups on other social media platforms, using coded language to avoid detection. This cross-platform promotion makes it even harder for authorities to shut down illegal operations, as content often migrates from one platform to another, ensuring its continuous circulation.

The role of social media and digital platforms in enabling these privacy violations highlights the urgent need for stricter content moderation, improved regulatory policies, and greater accountability from tech companies. While encryption and anonymity are essential for digital privacy, they should not come at the cost of allowing illegal activities to thrive unchecked. A balance must be struck between protecting genuine user privacy and preventing the misuse of digital platforms for exploitation and criminal activities.

Why Telegram?

Encrypted Communication: Mkes it difficult for law enforcement to track or remove content quickly.
Large Group Sharing: Unlike WhatsApp, Telegram allows groups of thousands of members, enabling widespread circulation of such content.
Monetization Features: Some exploit Telegram’s paid channels and bot-based payment systems to sell explicit or unauthorized content.

While Telegram claims to have strict policies against abuse, enforcement often lags behind real-time incidents, allowing exploiters to operate for extended periods.

Impact on Women and the Sanctity of Maha Kumbh

This issue not only violates women’s dignity but also damages the spiritual essence of Maha Kumbh.

Psychological Impact on Women

Loss of Privacy: Women participating in rituals feel unsafe, fearing that their sacred moments might be exploited online.
Anxiety and Fear: Many pilgrims hesitate to fully engage in traditions like the holy dip due to the presence of unauthorized photographers.
Social Stigma: In conservative societies, leaked images and videos can lead to personal and social consequences for the victims.

Damage to the Event’s Reputation

Maha Kumbh is known worldwide as a symbol of faith and cultural unity, but such digital exploitation shifts the focus from spirituality to voyeurism.
The incident discourages female participation, impacting the inclusivity of the festival.

How Can We Prevent This?

1. Stronger Law Enforcement

Authorities should increase surveillance at Kumbh sites to prevent unauthorized photography.
Strict penalties should be imposed on those caught selling or sharing such content.
Rapid response teams should be set up to remove content from digital platforms.

2. Stricter Digital Regulations

Social media platforms must enhance detection mechanisms for illegal content and enforce stricter action against those violating policies.
Governments should collaborate with tech companies to develop better monitoring tools for encrypted platforms.

3. Awareness and Vigilance

Visitors must be made aware of their rights and encouraged to report suspicious activities.
Women’s help desks should be established at Maha Kumbh to assist victims.

4. Ethical Photography Guidelines

Media professionals covering Maha Kumbh must follow ethical photography norms and obtain consent before capturing images of individuals.

The use of AI-based content detection tools can help trace and report unauthorized image usage.

Conclusion

Maha Kumbh is a sacred and historic event that represents India’s rich spiritual traditions. However, its sanctity is being tarnished by the unethical act of exploiting women through digital media. While technology can enhance the event’s global reach, it must not be misused to invade privacy or degrade human dignity.

Addressing this issue requires a collective effort —from stricter law enforcement and responsible digital platform management to public awareness and ethical journalism. Only then can Maha Kumbh continue to be a place of peace, spirituality, and respect for all individuals, free from exploitation in any form.

References

1. The Information Technology Act, 2000 – [Government of India IT Act]

2. Indian Penal Code Section 354C (Voyeurism Laws) – [IPC Section 354C]

3. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) Guidelines on Cyber Crimes – [MEITY Official Site]

4. Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (Government of India) – [Cybercrime.gov.in]

5. Guidelines for Ethical Photography in Public Spaces– Various Media Ethics Publications

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