India often has the reputation of not being a friendly or safe country for solo female travellers. Although measures are being taken to get rid of this notion, it seems that some of its citizens have tarnished the country’s reputation yet again.
In a video which has since gone viral on social media, a rowdy mob of men and boys were caught groping, shoving and humiliating a petite Japanese tourist on a street in New Delhi, on a day meant to mark Holi, which is the Hindu festival of colours and love.
The viral video shows a group of men and boys dousing the Japanese tourist with coloured water and powder as they shouted, “happy Holi” as is the tradition during Holi.
However, they were also seen in the clip groping her, touching her chest and pushing her around and even smashing an egg onto her head, even as she tried to flee from them, saying repeatedly, “itai, itai”, which is Japanese for “it hurts”.
After the woman managed to get away from their grip, a man then tried to grab her chest. She managed to slap the man and then quickly ran into an alley.
Worldwide outrage
The video has caused an uproar all over the world including those in India.
Swati Maliwal, chair of the Delhi Commission for Women, called the assault “completely shameful behaviour”.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women demanded that police conduct a “fair and time-bound investigation” into the incident, calling for “a detailed report”.
According to report, following the outrage the video caused, 2 men and a minor were arrested.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar Sain said the 3 who were arrested had admitted to being the ones assaulting the woman in the video.
But any action against them “would be decided on the merits and in accordance with the complaint by the girl, if any”, he said.
Apparently, the Japanese tourist wrote in a Twitter post that she was already in Bangladesh, and that she was “fine”.
Watch the video of the incident at your own risk:
@DelhiPolice @ANI please check this video circulating online where goons are attacking a japanese tourist from Paharganj, decent hotel. She clearly was forced as she slapped at the end and this shows a very negative image of festival and country. pic.twitter.com/mhRUCa8dZw
— Raj (@Sraj101) March 10, 2023
Although the perpetrators seem to be free from any punishment, we hope that the authorities take such incidents much more seriously to prevent it from happening again in the future.
Also read: “I was slapped by an insane aunty” – M’sian Gets Assaulted by Random Aunty at LRT Station
