Foreigner molested in Kolkata

Proving yet again that Kolkata might not be safe for foreign tourists, a French woman in her 20s and her male companion were assaulted by a group of men in the posh Jodhpur Park area in the early hours of Sunday.

Earlier, on March 25, a 20-year-old South Korean girl, a student in the city, was molested at around 7 am in a public transport bus when she was travelling to Howrah station.

The incident came to light after Kamal Naskar, the lone suspect arrested by the police, obtained bail from a city court because the police did not book him under the recently amended Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, under which the guilty can be punished for making sexual advances at a foreigner. The police arrested Naskar, resident of an adjacent locality, after the French man lodged a complaint.

He was charged with two sections of assault and making indecent remarks, both of which are bailable.

The French couple, who have been studying in Kolkata for more than a year, were on their way back to their rented apartment around 2:30 am when four drunk men accosted them, making lewd comments and gestures at the woman.

When the French man protested, they assaulted him and molested the girl. Deputy Commissioner ( South Eastern Division) Debobrata Das told reporters that the investigation is on and necessary steps will be taken.

Interestingly, the incident took place at a time when the Alliance Francaise du Calcutta, the French cultural mission, is working towards getting two French artists to come and live in Kolkata for some time, with plans to collaborate with local idol makers.

The idea is to have “Cannes to Kolkata” as the theme of a leading Durga Puja, marking not just the century of Indian cinema but also the cultural ties between France and Bengal.