After Delhi rape, UK revises India travel advisory

Britain on Thursday revised its travel advisory for citizens travelling to India, advising women to “use caution” following incidents of “serious sexual attacks” against foreign nationals in the country in 2014.

Britain on Thursday revised its travel advisory for citizens travelling to India, advising women to “use caution” following incidents of “serious sexual attacks” against foreign nationals in the country in 2014.

The revised advisory mentions the recent rape of a Danish woman in central Delhi, and notes that British women had been victims of sexual assault or had been the recipients of unwanted sexual attention in various parts of India.

The advisory says: “Women should use caution when travelling in India. Reported cases of sexual assault against women and young girls are increasing; recent sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas and cities show that foreign women are also at risk”.

It adds: “British women have been the victims of sexual assault in Goa, Delhi, Bangalore and Rajasthan and women travellers often receive unwanted attention in the form of verbal and physical harassment by individuals or groups of men.

“Serious sexual attacks involving Polish, German and Danish women travellers have been reported so far in 2014. Women travellers should exercise caution when travelling in India even if they are travelling in a group”.

The 'Safety and Security’ section of the advisory says that British women travelling in India “should respect local dress codes and customs and avoid isolated areas, including beaches, when alone at any time of day”.

It adds: “Be wary of confidence tricksters, particularly in Agra and Jaipur, who promise large amounts of cash for delivery of jewellery abroad in return for an initial deposit. The jewellery is worthless and the deposit, often amounting to thousands of pounds, is lost”.