The Hindu : Doubts over security for foreigners

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 20, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Doubts over security for foreigners

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 19. The recent incidents of crime against foreign nationals across the Capital, including the gruesome murder of a 59-year-old Australian woman near the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the wee hours of Wednesday, have raised serious doubts about the security arrangements made by the Delhi police for the safety of tourists from abroad.

The Australian woman, who was a follower of Brahmakumaris sect and had come from Brisbane, was allegedly killed by a pre-paid taxi driver working at the airport for the past two years. What is most disturbing is that taxi-drivers working with the airport pre-paid booth have been found indulging in crime.

Just a few days ago, an Old Rajender Nagar-based tourism agency owner, Feroze, allegedly cheated and harassed a Japanese national in connivance with one such driver, Satish. The driver, who was supposed to take the victim safely to a hotel, introduced her to the tourist agent, Feroze, for a meagre commission amount.

The victim was not only robbed of her money, but was also illegally confined by the tourist agent in his Lajpat Nagar house. The victim, who was new to this city, was made to believe that all the hotels in the area were full. Since it was getting late, the victim had no other option but to accept the tourist agent's offer for a stay at his residence. Taking advantage of the situation, the tourist agent allegedly extorted all the money she had.

Earlier this month, a 19-year-old Fiji national, who is pursuing her studies here in the Capital, was allegedly criminally assaulted by a young man after being given lift in his vehicle. Since she was in an inebriated state, the accused took advantage of her position, sexually assaulted her and then dumped her.

In yet another case reported last month, a German woman was molested by four men in a Tata Indica at Gole Market in New Delhi. While all these cases have been worked out, the sensational abduction-cum-criminal assault case of a Swiss diplomat still remains unsolved.

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