The police have started a manhunt for a French tourist accused of sexually abusing children in Odisha’s Puri district, officials said on Thursday.
The police had registered a case against Mathew Furic, the middle-aged tourist, on the basis of a complaint by another tourist, James Foster Gorman from USA, on December 2.
Gorman said he found Furic allegedly performing oral sex on young boys aged between 10 and 12 in a secluded area at the sea beach in Puri, about 60 km east of Bhubaneswar. But when he protested, the Frenchman beat him up, Gorman alleged.
Later, Gorman talked to some of the victims, recorded their conversation on a video camera and handed over the footage to the local police.
He alleged Furic indulged in paedophilia with the boys several times between November 23 and November 26.
Police raided the hotel where Furic was staying and found that he already left the city November 26.
“We have issued a look out circular so that Furic can be apprehended if he is still in India,” district police superintendent Anup Sahu said.
Furic has been booked for wrongful restraint, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and under the provisions of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act.
{{/usCountry}}Furic has been booked for wrongful restraint, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and under the provisions of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act.
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