MP Home Minister blames Swiss tourist for gangrape, says foreigners flout rules

Bhopal: The Datia Police have arrested six people in connection with the alleged gangrape of a Swiss national even as the Madhya Pradesh Home Minister said the couple should have informed the police about their travel plans for additional security. The suspects - six members of a nomadic tribe in the area - have been arrested and a stolen laptop and a mobile phone have been seized from them.

The Swiss tourist was assaulted when she was camping outside a village with her partner during a cycling trip. "The police had detained 25 people and were interrogating them. During interrogation the names of these accused cropped up. They were searched and have been identified," RK Gurjar, Inspector, Datia, said.

But immediately after the arrests, the state Home Minister Umashankar Gupta caused a major embarrassment by blaming the Swiss tourists for the incident. Gupta said tourists arriving in Madhya Pradesh flout safety norms by not informing the police of their whereabouts.

Umashankar Gupta said foreign nationals should inform police about their movements to ensure security.

"The rape of the Swiss national is unfortunate but foreign travellers should inform the police about their movement so that they can be provided with adequate protection. They often don't follow state's rules," Gupta said.

The Minister's statement comes at a time when pressure is building for the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government because of the alarming number of sexual assaults in the state.

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