M.P. Nathanael | Crimes Against Foreigners On Rise: Swift Steps By Govt Needed
It turns out even more concerning due to the US travel advisory issued on June 16 cautioning its citizens of the increased risk of violent crimes and terrorism in this country
The rape of a French tourist in Udaipur by an employee of an event management company on June 22 drew the nation’s attention to this horrendous crime against foreign nationals. Having befriended the tourist at a hotel, the rapist took her to his apartment on the pretext of showing her the city and raped her. He was soon arrested.
It turns out even more concerning due to the US travel advisory issued on June 16 cautioning its citizens of the increased risk of violent crimes and terrorism in this country. The advisory said that “rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India” and “violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations”.
For reasons of the adverse impact it would have on our tourism industry, the government needs to take immediate and long-lasting measures to dispel the fear created by such advisories as most states depend on tourists from the United States, Europe and Britain to generate the bulk of their income from tourism.
Earlier, on March 6, a group of five -- a 27-year-old Israeli woman, a male American and three Indians, including a 29-year-old woman home stay owner -- had set out from the guest house to a canal close to Sanapura lake in Hampi (Karnataka) for star-gazing in the night about 3 km away. Near the canal, they were accosted by three men on a motorcycle who demanded Rs 100 cash. On their refusal, they pushed the three men into the canal and gangraped the two women. While two men managed to swim over and returned to seek help, one from Odisha met his gory death in the canal. The police soon nabbed all three culprits.
Such incidents deter foreign tourists from visiting our country. Soon after the rape of the Israeli woman in Hampi, about 400 tourists, most of them Israelis, left Hampi as they feared the place was too insecure. The Israeli woman who was raped in Hampi was so deeply shaken by the ugly incident that she left India after four days.
Among various crimes committed against foreigners in 2022, 28 were registered for rape and 13 for molestation. The total number of crimes against foreigners was 192, a rise against the figure of 150 in 2021. In 2021, 14 foreign tourists were raped and 14 were molested while 16 were raped in 2020 and 12 in 2019. The rising figures of rape and molestation are bound to deter prospective tourists from visiting our country, which will affect foreign exchange earnings.
According to the 2024 annual report on tourism, 9.52 million foreign tourists visited India in 2023, though the expected arrivals was predicted at 13.34 million. Of this, 57.7 per cent were males, while the rest were female tourists. Over 41 per cent of the tourists were in the 35-54 age group; 46.2 per cent of them visited our country on pleasure trips while the rest were on business trips or for other reasons. Single women tourists are usually targeted by sexual predators.
Since tourism happens to be one of the country’s biggest foreign exchange earners, crimes against foreign tourists affects our economy. While earnings in 2019 was $30.06 billion, it fell to $6.958 billion the following year due to the Covid-19 pandemic which had resulted in restrictions being imposed on entry of foreign tourists to our country. In 2021, it rose marginally to $8.797 billion and almost doubled to $17 billion in 2022. In 2023, the earnings shot up to $28 billion. With such huge foreign exchange earnings, we need to go all out to ensure that more foreign tourists visit our country and hence create a safe environment.
According to India Tourism Statistics, India was rated 54th in the travel and tourism index in 2021, which was later revised to 38th in a list of 117 countries. Last year it was ranked 39th among 119 nations.
While the tourism ministry, in collaboration with the Bureau of Police Research and Development, has from time to time held conferences and workshops on the safety and security of tourists, their visibility hasn’t been very significant. The bureau came out with a scheme for tourist police at all major tourist spots across the country in October 2022, outlining the charter of duties, uniforms and the mode of recruitment. But some states are yet to implement the scheme.
To curb the menace of rape and molestation of women tourists, they need to be given the emergency numbers of all tourist police stations to call in a crisis. Fast-track courts could be set up immediately after a complaint is lodged to record statements in the shortest possible time, so that victims don’t have to wait long.
In a rape case filed in Alwar against a senior police officer’s son for raping a German woman on March 21, 2006, the judge gave his verdict of seven years’ imprisonment in just 22 days. Speedy disposal will deter criminals from attempting to molest or rape and help the victims leave for their destinations soon.
Till the time the victim’s presence is required for court hearings, all medical assistance should be provided to her, and also her stay in the city arranged by the Indian authorities. If needed, the visa should be extended. On March 31, a German tourist was raped by a driver in Hyderabad. Having taken her with her male companion to show places, he asked the male to deboard at a spot and drove the woman a little ahead to take better photographs. He raped her in the car. The couple were to return to Germany on April 3. All courts need to inflict the maximum possible punishment to such criminals, who not only indulge in the crime of rape but also tarnish India’s image globally.
The writer is a retired CRPF IGP