A Trip Turned Sour
Janhvi, a tourist from Mumbai, embarked on a trip to Kerala, starting with visits to Kochi and Alleppey. She had positive experiences in these cities,
noting the kindness of the people. However, her visit to Munnar took a turn for the worse. Upon arriving at Munnar, she was reportedly informed by her host that app-based ride services like Ola or Uber were unavailable due to union restrictions. Despite already booking a cab, she encountered resistance. Shortly after loading her luggage, a group of five to six individuals confronted her and her driver. This encounter quickly escalated into feelings of unsafety, fundamentally altering her perception of the trip, as she shared in a three-minute video.
Harassment and Threats
The situation in Munnar quickly became distressing for the tourist. She and her driver were reportedly threatened by taxi drivers, who insisted that the driver couldn't take her. The tourist expressed that while she didn't understand their language, the aggressive nature of the interaction made her feel extremely unsafe. She recounted that her host had cautioned her that if she still wished to proceed with her trip, she would have to discreetly meet the driver at a different location, avoiding any attention. This warning underscored the challenges and apprehension she faced during her trip. The taxi drivers' behavior led to the tourist feeling that she was not allowed to feel safe or exercise her rights, as she mentioned in the video.
Police Indifference Exposed
When Janhvi attempted to seek assistance from the police, she found herself without support. The police's apparent lack of action was a significant factor in her feeling of vulnerability. She explicitly mentioned in the video that neither the police nor the Kerala Tourism Department provided any help. Instead of assisting her, the police allegedly asked her to hire a local taxi. She further stated that the police officers failed to assist her and, as a consequence, two officers – Assistant Sub-Inspector (SI) Saju Paulose and Grade SI George Kurian of the Munnar police station – were suspended for failing to provide help to the tourist. This lack of support from the authorities exacerbated the situation and left her feeling unsupported and unsafe.
Consequences and Actions
The incident quickly gained attention, prompting legal and administrative actions. The Munnar police registered a suo motu case under Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 135(2) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common intention) of BNS following the video's viral spread. Furthermore, three taxi drivers were arrested, and the two police officers were suspended. Authorities were able to identify Vinayakan and Vijayakumar from the video shared by Janhvi. However, the video has now been removed from Janhvi’s social media account. The swift response from authorities demonstrates the seriousness with which they are treating the issue and their commitment to addressing the concerns raised by the tourist's experience, which ultimately led to the swift arrests of those involved.
Tourist's Disappointment and Reflection
Janhvi's experience in Munnar left a significant impact. Towards the end of her video, she expressed her love for Kerala's beauty and the kindness of the people she encountered in Kochi and Alleppey. However, she indicated that she might not be able to return to a place where she did not feel safe. Her words reflected a sense of disappointment and a loss of trust due to the events in Munnar. She felt restricted from exercising her constitutional rights and expressed deep disappointment about the way she was treated. This highlighted a stark contrast between her initial positive experiences and the distress she faced in Munnar, which ultimately changed the way she perceived and remembered her trip.
