A 22-year-old Japanese woman faced a harrowing ordeal during Holi celebrations in India when she was harassed by a group of men who groped her, shoved her around and smeared color on her face. The incident took place in Paharganj area of Delhi on March 9, 2023.
The woman recorded a video of the assault and posted it on Twitter, tagging Delhi Police and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She later deleted the tweet after receiving abusive comments from some users. She also said that she had left India and reached Bangladesh, where she was fine mentally and physically.
The video sparked outrage on social media, with many people condemning the behavior of the men and demanding action against them. Delhi Police said they had taken cognizance of the matter and apprehended three persons, including a juvenile, for molesting the woman. They also said they had written to the Japanese embassy to inform them about the incident and offer assistance.
The incident has raised questions about the safety of foreign tourists in India, especially women who may face harassment or violence during festivals or cultural events. Some experts have suggested that there should be more awareness campaigns and sensitization programs to educate people about respecting women’s rights and dignity.
India is ranked as the world’s most dangerous country for women due to the high risk of sexual violence, forced labor, human trafficking, child marriage and female foeticide.
Millions of women who face daily threats of violence and discrimination in India. They also highlighted that India had witnessed several horrific cases of rape, murder and acid attacks against women in recent years that had shaken the conscience of the nation.
