British tourist sexually harassed in Kerala's Varkala, dress torn, video helps police arrest man
The accused is expected to be produced before a court on Tuesday for remand. Further investigation is underway, police said. | India News
The accused is expected to be produced before a court on Tuesday for remand. Further investigation is underway, police said.
A British woman tourist was allegedly sexually harassed and had her dress torn by a man while returning to her room in Kerala’s Varkala around 1.30 am on Monday, police said.
The accused, identified as Shahad, a resident of Odayam in Varkala, allegedly approached the woman as she was returning to her room after going out for food, and misbehaved with her before tearing her dress, police said, news agency PTI reported.
The woman took refuge with a group of tourists, who intervened and stopped the accused. She approached the police on Monday morning, following which a case was registered. Police identified and arrested Shahad with the help of a video recorded by the woman.
The accused is expected to be produced before a court on Tuesday for remand. Further investigation is underway, police said.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, a solo traveller currently hitchhiking across India shared an Instagram update about how her initial fears were dispelled by the kindness she encountered during her travels.
Despite being warned about safety risks before arriving, the 24-year-old Portuguese creator, Ana, said that she experienced overwhelming helpfulness from people everywhere she went.
“Before landing in India, everyone warned me about harassment, robbery, and stares. I was genuinely a bit afraid of going there and completely avoided hitchhiking for my entire first month in the country,” Ana wrote on Instagram.
“But as time went by, the reality turned out to be completely different: Everywhere I went, I kept meeting the kindest, funniest, and most helpful people. From strangers on the street randomly spending two hours helping me fix a phone issue, to making lifelong friends—the men I met completely changed my perspective,” she added.
Karishma Ayaldasani is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, where she works with the digital team on fast-moving breaking stories from India and around the world. She enjoys covering national and global news, focusing on delivering updates quickly and clearly so readers can make sense of what’s happening as it unfolds. Comfortable in high-pressure newsroom settings, she regularly contributes to live blogs, explainers and real-time coverage. Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of the digital team at The Indian Express, worked with the social media team at Firstpost, and spent time as a creative strategist at Clematis Advertising. Outside of work, she likes exploring different art forms and unwinds with music. With over three years of experience in fast-paced newsrooms, she brings curiosity, clarity and consistency to her work.Read More
