Panjim (TAN): A Russian woman was allegedly stalked and slapped by a two-wheeler rider in south India’s coastal state Goa when she refused his offer for a lift.
The incident allegedly took place at Arpora village in north Goa on May 15. A large number of Russian tourists visit Goa, with many staying long-term especially around north Goa.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, she said: “He was following me and stopping every five-ten metres and asking me can I sit on his bike, can he drop me home. So I was saying ‘No, no thank you’ and I was just ignoring him. He was always looking around to see that no one is around.”
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“Then he stopped in front of me and he asked me, ‘Can I drop you? I said: ‘Why are you following me? I don’t need anyone to follow me because I live right here and I can walk alone,” she said, adding that he then went straight in front, took a U-turn and drove towards her. “He went just next to me and slapped me badly.”
The tourist said the police had done “absolutely nothing” despite her lodging a complaint.
“They didn’t even ask me about video pictures or the whole story or anything. They didn’t need it. It has been five days,” she said. “I’m doing what I can and asking help from local people, people who are around me and my friends and they are helping me more than the police, but it shouldn’t be like this because Goa is a tourist place. How can the police be so irresponsible in tourist place?”
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Anjuna Police have, the Hindustan Times report said, were verifying the tourist’s claims.
“There has not been any complaint of this nature registered with our police station but I will still verify this matter,” Anjuna Police inspector Navlesh Dessai said.
The Russian woman is leaving India in a few days and hopes her friends would follow up the matter.
“All I want from the police is to look at this case but I don’t want any other women tourists to be harassed or assaulted like me.” she said.
