Japanese tourist missing in Agra, not traced yet

New Delhi News.Net
Friday 21st December, 2007 (IANS)

A Japanese tourist reported missing here since Thursday, has not been traced till Friday afternoon, raising another question mark on the safety of tourists in the city of the Taj Mahal.

At least eight attacks on foreign tourists have been reported here since September.

Between October 2006 and December 2007 there have been half a dozen cases of attacks on Japanese tourists alone.

In the latest case, a Japanese tourist, identified only as Ogawa, checked out of his hotel Thursday afternoon, and has since then remained untraceable, police said.

Police started searching for the man after a taxi driver named Rajeev, hired by the tourist, reported that Ogawa did not come out of the hotel to get into the taxi and go to the railway station, though he was booked on a train to Varanasi that evening.

Raj Kumar Sharma, officer in charge of Taj Ganj police station, told IANS the Japanese tourist has not been traced yet, but expressed confidence Ogawa would eventually be 'traced because he has to return on Dec 29 to catch his flight'.

Santosh Kumar, an officer in the police station meant for tourists, said: 'He has a visa for a month and was scheduled to visit Varanasi and Gaya before going to Delhi.'

He suspected that Ogawa might have gone to Varanasi.

Another Japanese tourist, Kota, disappeared from Agra last year, and has not been found yet.

Two months ago, a Sri Lankan tourist was also reported missing, but was found later.

Crimes against foreign tourists have increased in recent days in Agra. At least five cases of molestation have been reported in the past couple of months and acid was thrown on a Russian tourist a month ago.

In September, two Japanese women tourists were allegedly kept in confinement and raped by three men in the city that is one of India's principal tourist destinations and is part of tourist 'golden triangle' comprising Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.

Between October 2006 and December 2007, half a dozen cases of attacks on Japanese tourists have been reported.

Of the nearly 12,000 tourists who visit Agra every year, about one third are foreigners. Given the number of attacks on tourists and in response to persistent demands from the tourism industry, this September the Uttar Pradesh government opened a new police station for tourists.

Tourism industry sources say this step has failed to make an impact. Over a dozen cases of thefts and snatching of valuables from tourists are reported every month. Hoteliers advise tourists, especially foreigners, not to stir out after dark.

Former president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Agra Surendra Sharma said: 'The state and central government agencies have miserably failed to create a proper friendly environment for tourism promotion in India's number one tourist destination.

'The whole area around the Taj and the Fort, including the tourist complex on Fatehabad Road, should be properly insulated against undesirable elements. Obviously the police presence must be noticed and felt. Right now nobody seems to be serious,' Sharma told IANS.

There was an ugly scene at the Taj Mahal Wednesday when a documentary film producer from Hollywood was shooting a short film that reportedly showed some boys stealing shoes of foreign tourists and running away with purses.

Local tourist guides and photographers protested and scuffled with the film crew, forcing the producer to leave Agra without completing the shooting.

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