Jorhat (Assam): If we were stick to our motto of ‘Atithi devo bhava’, our country would have been a haven for tourists. However, many of us don’t which is the reason why we get to hear of so many embarrassing tales of foreigners being roughed up and looted.
An elderly Austrian couple was verbally abused and their car was damaged by four drunken men near Assam’s Jorhat city.
The incident took place late on Wednesday night as the victims were sleeping inside their vehicle in Kokilamukh, about 11 kilometres from Jorhat city.
The Austrian couple – Vena and Suzie Pranchita – is on a cross country mission for the last 165 days. They have so far traveled through China, Iran, Mongolia, Russia and Nepal.
They entered India a few weeks back and will end their tour in Thailand by next month.
The four inebriated men demanded that they be allowed inside the Mercedes Benz caravan vehicle of the Austrian couple.
Vena Pranchita said, “They wanted to see the inside of the vehicle and I let one of them in to see the vehicle. They did not want money, and one of them threw big stones at our front window, and then, they ran away, and we left the place.”
Terrified by the incident, the couple drove away from that area immediately and when they spotted the first house with a person at the gate, they shouted for help.
Tosiman Hauge Neog, a local resident, said, “Last night, at around 9.30, they (the Austrian couple) parked their vehicle on the road and came to my verandah shouting ‘help! help!’, they were crying. After knowing that their vehicle was damaged by some goons, I brought them into my house and immediately called one of my uncles, and my uncle informed the police.”
The local police then provided the couple shelter at the Jorhat Circuit House.
The police have been conducting search operation in Kokilamukh and adjoining areas since then, but no arrest has been made yet.
(with inputs from ANI)