New Delhi: In just 12 hours in Delhi, a Belgian tourist claims to have had such a traumatic experience that she felt compelled to fly back to her country the very next day.
The tourist alleges she came across auto drivers and travel agents who cheated her and three men who impersonated as police officers to dupe her.
Once home, the tourist wrote a detailed official complaint to the Indian embassy in Brussels and also forwarded a copy of the complaint to the Delhi Police commissioner.
Following her complaint, the Delhi Police registered a case of cheating and impersonation, arresting two travel agents as well as an auto driver.
This is the detailed account of her harrowing 12 hours in Delhi, reproduced verbatim from her complaint.
Arrival
“I arrived in New Delhi on Thursday 6 December, around 16 hours. After buying a SIM card, I headed to the sub way of the new Delhi Airport. I took it to the New Delhi station where I went out and headed for the tuk tuks in front of the exit.
I filmed my trip with the help of my phone, so I know I was on the Minto road area. This one takes me in front of a parking. He does not say a word and stops dead in front of two people.”
The fake policemen
“The men then show me their respective cards of police and tell me that there are big demonstrations and that the street of my hotel is cordoned off. And I cannot access it without permission from the tourist police. They gave a paper where they wrote the address of the police centre.
The tuk tuk drops me off a few minutes later. I get into a very cold place and then there were five men in uniform who received me. There are two offices in rows, they put me in the back office. The policeman that I took XXX (illegible) explains to me that this zone is inaccessible and must leave quickly from New Delhi. The zone is very dangerous. He shows me videos of some violent protests and tells me its live. He also asks me if my jewels are gold and tells me that it will cut my fingers and it is absolutely necessary to remove them. He offers me to call my hotel, he passes XXX (illegible) at the end of the line who tells me that my reservation has been canceled because of the events. So I give him two other numbers of hotels that I have at hand, each time it is the same scenario.
He then proposes to me to go to the centre of Delhi. I am coming out, my tuk tuk is not here anymore.”
The touts
“The policeman directs me to another tuk tuk waiting in front of the police centre.
I get in and a young Indian who is a few metres away from me, gets closer, and tells me that they are fake policemen and I should quickly leave. The tuk tuk takes me to a travel agency. I am received by two brothers who speak perfect English.
They put me in trust, give me cakes and glass of water. They sense I am totally overwhelmed by the situation and the anguish begins to rise.
One of them shows me his advices in ‘couchsurfing’.”
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Feeling unsafe at the hotel
“I start to worry and tire. It has been over five hours since I wandered in Delhi and really feel that the situation escapes me. They offer me different hotels, I say no each time as they are expensive.
They end up telling me a price that suits me. Exhausted I say yes. I pay in cash about 40 dollars. They tell me that the driver is coming. I see a map of the agency and take it. The name of the agency is India tour vacation, shop no 28 NDMC MKT CP Delhi. The manager Miran tells me to get some rest and will fetch me a few hours later for booking fights/hotels. What really worries me. The driver arrives with his wife and sister (From what he tells me) and we go on a long trek in New Delhi. I really worry about this situation. They see that I am feeling very bad. I am angry and ask for a quick drop.
They drop me at the hotel I paid a few hours ago. The driver speaks with the receptionist and I find myself in a room on the third floor without windows. They also tell me that they do not have internet connection (as previously at the police station, and the travel agency).
I locked myself in the room, several times someone knocks on the door. I am barricading myself in the room, completely paralysed in the situation.”
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Help arrives
“My sim card is now active, I contact an acquaintance, who is at Rishikesh. I explain the situation. She decides to contact the hotel where I had booked a night.
The hotel tells him that they have my reservations. She explains the situation.
One of the managers of the hotel decides to get me in view of the urgency of the situation. I send him my location since I do not even know the name of the hotel I am staying with my contact.
It takes him hour and half. Meanwhile several people try to get inside my room and I am paralysed.
An hour and a half later he arrives. He is waiting for me at the reception and speaks with the manager of the hotels who tells him that the night is not paid.
He takes me to moustache hostel. I took the plane back next morning totally shocked by what happened to me.”
It is shocking and heartbreaking to hear how India treats it’s tourists.
“Let’s mentally keep masturbating about our glorious past, and our goddamn sacred cows while our present and future rots away into a black hole.”
well said