The Goa Tourism Department has taken swift legal action after a disturbing video surfaced online, showing a woman tourist being harassed with indecent gestures at popular Calangute beach. The department officially lodged a complaint with the Calangute police station, leading to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR).
Zero-Tolerance Policy Against Harassment
Tourism Director Kedar Naik stated that the department maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy towards the harassment of tourists, with women's safety being a prime priority. "This office noticed certain media reports and video clips wherein a woman tourist was harassed at a beach by a person making lewd gestures, thereby outraging her modesty," Naik said. He emphasized that such offences must be dealt with an iron fist to ensure Goa remains a safe destination.
Details of the Calangute Beach Incident
The incident, captured on video, shows an intoxicated man in a black shirt suggestively dancing and deliberately blocking the path of a woman tourist at a beach shack. In a provocative act, the man had a Rs 500 note in his mouth, which he then offered to the woman. Offended by this unwanted advance, the woman snatched the currency note and threw it on the floor.
This reaction appeared to anger the man, who then began making lewd and obscene gestures towards her. The video also highlighted a failure of bystander intervention, as onlookers present did not step in to help the woman.
Legal Repercussions and Previous Case
Based on the tourism department's complaint, the police registered an FIR against the accused under relevant sections of the law. The charges include Sections 74, 75, and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, alongside other applicable legal provisions.
This is not an isolated case of tourist harassment in Goa's coastal areas. In November, a similar incident involved a 19-year-old influencer from Mumbai being harassed on Baga beach. In that case, the Goa police identified and took into custody one of the accused, Atendra Singh from Rajasthan. The accused and his associates had offered the woman money and stalked her along the beach.
The tourism department's proactive complaint in the Calangute case signals a stronger institutional response to protect the state's reputation and ensure the safety of every visitor.
