Lok Sabha Question No. 115 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-18
Subject: Crime against Foreign Tourists
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI, DHARMENDRA YADAV, ANOOP MISHRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.115 ANSWERED ON 18.07.2016

## CRIME AGAINST FOREIGN TOURISTS

## 115.  SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI ANOOP MISHRA:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of incidents of crime against foreign tourists including racial attacks, harassment  and sexual  assaults  especially  against  women  tourists  in  the country;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the number  of  cases  registered during the last three years along with the action taken by the Government thereon;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any preventive measures or proposes to set up any mechanism to ensure the safety of the tourists, and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  attract  more tourists in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) and (b): This issue does not come under the purview of the Ministry of Tourism. However, as per the information received from the  National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB),  Ministry  of  Home Affairs,  NCRB has started collecting data on crime against foreign tourists  since  2014.    As  per  NCRB  a  total  of  384  cases  were registered  under  crime  against  foreign  tourists  (including  crime against women foreign tourist) during 2014.

Crime head-wise cases registered, cases  charge-sheeted, cases  convicted,  persons  arrested,  persons  charge-sheeted  and persons convicted under crime against foreign tourists during 2014 is at Annexure.

- (c):  The measures taken by Ministry of Tourism to ensure the safety and  security  of  tourists  including  foreign  tourists  are  as  given below:
- i) The Ministry of Tourism has launched the 24x7 Toll Free Multi-Lingual Tourist Helpline in 12 Languages including 10  international  languages  and  in  Hindi  &  English  on 8.2.2016.  This  service  is  available  on  the      toll  free number  1800111363  or  on  a short code 1363 and operational 24X7  in a year offering a 'multi-lingual helpdesk'  in  the  designated  languages      to  provide support service in terms of providing information relating to  Travel  &  Tourism  in  India  to  the  domestic  and International tourists and  to assist the  callers with advice  on  action  to  be  taken  during  times  of  distress while travelling in India and if need be alert the concerned  authorities.  The  languages  handled  by  the Tourist  Helpline  include      ten  International  languages besides English and Hindi, namely, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian  and Spanish.  The  calls  made  by  tourists  (both international and domestic) while in India will be free of charge.
- ii) Adoption  of  code  of  conduct  by  the  Indian  travel  and tourism industry for Safe and Honourable Tourism, which contains a set of guidelines to encourage tourism activities  to  be  undertaken with respect to basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists  and  local  residents,  in  particular  women  and children.
- iii) All  the  Chief  Ministers  of  the  State  Governments  and Administrators  of  Union  Territory  Administrations  have been  asked to take immediate  effective steps for ensuring  a  conducive  and  friendly  environment  for  all tourists  and  also  request  them  to  publicize  the  steps being taken/proposed to be taken to increase the sense of security amongst the present/prospective visitors and also to counter the negative publicity, if any.
- iv) The National Tourism Ministers' Conference was convened on 18 th  July, 2013 and 21 st  August, 2014 in New Delhi which resolved that the Departments of Tourism of all States and UTs will work for ensuring the safety and security of tourists, especially women. The State Governments/UT Administrations of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan,  Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Delhi, Punjab, Madhya  Pradesh  and  Odisha have deployed Tourist Police, in one form or the other.
- v) Grant of Central Financial Assistance to the State Governments  of  Rajasthan,  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Andhra Pradesh for setting up of Tourist Facilitation and Security Organization (TFSO) on a pilot basis.
- vi) In  the  wake of some unfortunate incidents happened in the  past  involving  foreign  tourists,  Ministry  of  Tourism posted an advisory on its website www.incredibleindia.org.
- (d): The  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  attract  more tourists into the country inter alia include:
- (i) Launch of Tourist Visa on Arrival Enabled by Electronic Travel Authorization, now re-named as e-tourist visa, for citizens of 150 countries.
- (ii) Promotion of the destination through the Incredible India across the globe.
- (iii) Participation  in  major  International  Tourism  &  Travel Fairs & Exhibitions.
- (iv) Organising Road Shows to promote tourism destinations and products of country in major tourist source markets in collaboration with stake holders.
- (v)
- Development and promotion of 'Niche Tourism' products.
- (vi) Creating  an  increased  pool  of  trained  man  power  in Hospitality  &      Tourism  sectors  for  delivery  of  quality service to the tourist.
- (vii)   Organising  International  Buddhist  Conclave  once  in  2 years to showcase the Buddhist Heritage and International  Tourism  Mart  for  showcasing  the  tourism potential of North East being held every year.

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STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a) AND (b) CRIME AGAINST FOREIGN TOURISTS.

ANNEXURE

OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.115 ANSWERED ON 18.07.2016 REGARDING

CRIME HEAD WISE CASES REGISTERED (CR), CASES CHARGE SHEETED (CS),  CASES  CONVICTED  (CV),  PERSONS  ARRESTED  (PAR),  PERSONS CHARGE  SHEETED  (PCS)  AND  PERSONS  CONVICTED  (PCV)  UNDER CRIME AGAINST FOREIGN TOURISTS DURING 2014.

|   Sl. No. | Crime Head                                               |   CR |   CS |   CV |   PAR |   PCS |   PCV |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------|------|------|------|-------|-------|-------|
|         1 | Murder                                                   |    4 |    2 |    0 |     9 |     8 |     0 |
|         2 | Attempt to commit Murder                                 |    2 |    3 |    0 |     5 |     6 |     0 |
|         3 | Culpable Homicide not amounting to Murder                |    1 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|         4 | Attempt to commit Culpable Homicide                      |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|         5 | Rape                                                     |   17 |   10 |    0 |    34 |    25 |     0 |
|         6 | Attempt to commit Rape                                   |    1 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|         7 | Assault on women with intent to outrage her Modesty      |   33 |   31 |    2 |    30 |    31 |     2 |
|         8 | Insult to the Modesty of Women                           |    3 |    0 |    0 |     3 |     2 |     0 |
|         9 | Kidnapping & Abduction                                   |    1 |    0 |    0 |     1 |     0 |     0 |
|        10 | Dacoity                                                  |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        11 | Robbery                                                  |   21 |   10 |    0 |    14 |    14 |     0 |
|        12 | Grievous Hurt                                            |    1 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        13 | Extortion                                                |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        14 | Cheating                                                 |   17 |    2 |    0 |     8 |     2 |     0 |
|        15 | Theft                                                    |  223 |   36 |    1 |    35 |    36 |     3 |
|        16 | Forgery                                                  |    6 |    1 |    0 |     1 |     1 |     0 |
|        17 | Importation of Girls from Foreign Country                |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        18 | Disclosure of Identity of Victims                        |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        19 | Human Trafficking                                        |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        20 | Other IPC                                                |   28 |   16 |    1 |    25 |    19 |     1 |
|        21 | Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956                   |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        22 | Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 |    0 |    0 |    0 |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|        23 | Other SLL                                                |   26 |   23 |    1 |    25 |    22 |     1 |
|        24 | Total Crimes Committed against Tourist Foreigners        |  384 |  134 |    5 |   190 |   166 |     7 |

Source: Crime in India

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