Now, foreign tourists heckled in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR: In yet another case of harassment of foreign tourists in the country, miscreants abused and heckled an elderly Swiss woman and her brother recently.

A local resident accompanying them was also assaulted. Ironically, all this happened in the presence of police, who not only watched the fracas but even refused to accept the tourists' complaint.

Horrified by the experience, Monika Kessler and Niklaus Kessler decided to cut short their trip. They, however, lodged complaints with the Swiss Embassy, the Centre, the governor, the chief minister and the commissioner of police (Bhubaneswar).

In her complaint, Monika (73) wrote: "I, as a visitor to your country, am surprised at the non-existent attention of your Indian state (sic) police. These officials didn���t even take note of our statement at the police station."

Police commissioner Binay Behera denied the allegations and said an FIR was lodged on March 7.