External Affairs Minister Suhma Swaraj on Tuesday spoke to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia and sought stringent action against the men who molested and beat up four foreigners in Ajmer near Pushkar.
The four foreigners — two men from the US and UK, and the women from Spain and Turkey — had gone to Ajaypal Dham from Pushkar on two motorcycles on Monday when six men attacked them. According to SP Ajmer, Nitin Deep Blaggan, these men looted foreigners and molested one of the women in a hilly area on the outskirts of the city. All six men have been arrested.
“Swaraj spoke to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan who has said that strict action is being taken against the accused. The bags of Spanish tourists have already been located,” the MEA Spokesperson said. The Minister also asked the Rajasthan Government to provide all assistance to the foreign tourists.
“Initially they followed and tried to tease them. When one the tourists objected, the accused hit him with a stone. They dragged one of the women and tore her clothes. The tourists managed to escape from the place and informed people who were known to them,” he said. They were rushed to a local hospital where the injured tourist was given treatment. He is under observation at a private hospital on Pushkar road, the SP said.
Additional SP Avnish Kumar said handbags of the foreigners containing money were snatched by the attackers which police located later and returned it to the foreigners.
A case against the assailants was registered under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence), 307 (attempt to murder) 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 395 (dacoity).