Tourists putting themselves at risk of rape, India minister warns after attack on Swiss woman
Foreign tourists are putting themselves at danger of rape by not informing the police of their travel plans, an Indian state minister said today after a Swiss cyclist was gang-raped and her husband beaten as they camped in a forest in Madhya Pradesh.
The five men arrested in connection with the gang rape of a female Swiss tourist at a police station in Datia town, Madhya Pradesh Photo: EPA
By Dean Nelson, New Delhi 8:36AM GMT 18 Mar 2013
The attack, less than three months after the gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old Delhi student on a moving bus, caused dismay among women's rights campaigners in India, who said its men had "gone berserk". It also increased concerns for the safety of foreign tourists in India.
But the state government's home minister today suggested tourists were putting themselves at greater risk by failing to inform the police of their travel plans.
The attack on the Swiss woman and her husband was "unfortunate", Uma Shankar Gupta told the television news channel NDTV, but tourists should closely follow the rules for foreign travelers.
"What happened is unfortunate for our nation. When foreign tourists come, they should inform the SP (Superintendent of Police) about their plans. "This is the system but it is not being followed," he said.
"They had their tent in the outer area of the city but the incident should not happen, so we will think what more can be done for foreign tourists," he said.
His comments emerged as police in Madhya Pradesh paraded six young men aged 20 to 25 who have been arrested for the gang rape and will appear in court later today.
The 39-year-old teacher and her 30-year-old husband were resting overnight on their journey to from Orchha in central Indian to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, when they were attacked by a gang of men carrying sticks and a hand gun. The husband was tied up by two of the men as four others took turns to rape his wife.
Detectives had recovered a laptop computer, mobile phone and around £125 stolen from the couple and a handgun they said had been used in the attack to threaten the victim.
They were attacked at around 9pm on Friday night in Jhadia village on the outskirts of Datia town, where they had stopped in the village on an epic cycle journey through Asia.
They had earlier been cycling in Iran.
Dilip Arya, deputy inspector of police in the area, said that the victim had said four men had raped her, and all had confessed to the crime. If convicted they face life imprisonment.
Switzerland's ambassador to India, Dr Linus von Castelmur, said the victims were now recovering from their ordeal in New Delhi but will stay in India to help the police.
"The couple expressed their readiness to fully cooperate in the ongoing investigation and identification process. They will continue to stay in India for the moment," he said.
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