Rajasthan Horror: French tourist raped in Udaipur, Rajasthan Police launch manhunt for accused

Udaipur: In a disturbing incident that has sent shockwaves through Rajasthan, a French woman has alleged that she was raped by a man she met at a party in Udaipur. The Rajasthan Police confirmed the incident on Tuesday and stated that an FIR has been registered, with efforts underway to apprehend the accused. 

According to officials, the alleged assault took place on Monday evening. The victim, a French national who had arrived in Udaipur from Delhi on June 22, was staying at a hotel in the Ambamata area. On Monday, she attended a party at The Greek Farm Cafe and Restro Cafe, located at Tiger Hill. It was here that she came in contact with the accused, identified as Siddharth.

As per the complaint filed by the woman, Siddharth approached her during the gathering and invited her to step outside for a smoke, claiming he would show her some scenic locations nearby. Despite her repeated requests to return to her hotel, the man allegedly coerced her into accompanying him to his rented apartment in the Sukher locality.

The woman alleged that once inside the apartment, Siddharth began making unwanted advances. When she resisted, he allegedly overpowered and raped her. The victim’s phone battery had died during this time, preventing her from calling for help.

Following the incident, the survivor’s health began to deteriorate. She managed to admit herself to a private hospital in Udaipur, where she is currently receiving medical treatment and is reported to be out of danger.

SHO Purna Singh Rajpurohit of Badgaon Police Station confirmed that an FIR has been registered based on the woman's statement. The accused is presently absconding, and multiple police teams have been deployed to track him down.

The French embassy has been notified, and officials confirmed that necessary support is being provided to the survivor. Authorities have assured swift action and promised to ensure justice for the victim.

This case comes as a grim reminder of the vulnerability faced by women tourists and highlights the importance of safety measures for visitors in the region. The incident has sparked outrage and calls for stronger enforcement of law and order in tourist hubs like Udaipur.

This is not the first time that such a heinous act of crime against foreigners has taken place in India, especially against female visitors. Earlier in March, two women were gang-raped and a man was killed in an attack near a popular Unesco World Heritage site in southern India, police said.

The two women - an Israeli tourist and an Indian homestay operator - were stargazing with three male tourists near a lake in the city of Hampi, Karnataka, when they were attacked by a group of men on Thursday night, police superintendent Ram Arasiddi told Reuters. Arasiddi said the assailants pushed the men into the Tungabhadra River canal before raping the women.