THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Seven women, including six foreigners, have complained of being at the receiving end of sexual harassment in two separate incidents at Varkala, a tourist destination known for its captivating beaches and backwaters, in the last one week.
The Varkala police said two incidents of misconduct were reported within a week and they have arrested a person, Mahesh, in connection with a case registered on Wednesday. The harassment of tourists, at a time when the state government is planning to reopen tourist centres, could have serious implications.
Varkala police Station House Officer S Dwijesh said the 28-year-old person from Edava was arrested for misbehaving with the tourists. The complaint was filed by five women, who said the accused used expletives and sexual innuendos against them and when they questioned his behaviour, he raced on his two-wheeler to them in an aggressive manner.
“There were five women in that group. Four of them are from the United Kingdom and France, while the remaining one is from Mumbai. They lodged a complaint and the accused was booked,” he said. The other disgraceful incident occurred near Thiruvambadi beach on Monday.
Two foreigners — one from the UK and the other from France — were walking through a pocket road at night when an unidentified man flashed his private parts at them. The terrified women managed to flee the place and later reported the matter to the cops. The police said they have launched a hunt for the suspect.
Meanwhile, the incidents have sent a chill down the spine of those engaged in tourism. Varkala has been hit hard by the lockdown and the tourism sector crippled due to dearth of international tourist arrivals. Travel Agents’ Federation of India Kerala chairman Paulose K Mathew said such incidents could create a bad impression about Kerala among international tourists.
“These incidents are surely going to be reported to the respective embassies and their countries. In that scenario, there are chances of those countries issuing travel advisories. France and Britain account for most of our foreign tourists and if they take any strong action, it would affect the tourism sector badly,” he said.