Tourism Minister K. J. Alphons on Saturday visited the Swiss couple who were injured after being assaulted by local youth in Fatehpur Sikri. The tourists, Quentin Jeremy Clerc and Marie Droz, are admitted in Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. While Mr. Clerc received a fracture to his skull, Ms. Droz, his partner, fractured her hand in the attack near a railway track in Fatehpur Sikri on Sunday.
Mr. Alphons spoke to the hospital’s management and doctors regarding the treatment of the couple. “Both patients are recovering fast and are very happy about the treatment that they are getting at the hospital,” a statement from Mr. Alphons’ office said.
The assault on the Swiss couple has raised fresh questions on safety for tourists in Uttar Pradesh. In terms of crimes recorded against foreign tourists, the State is not the worst in the country, though the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data shows that U.P. has consistently featured among the States with the most number of crimes against foreign tourists.
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The Central Foreigners Bureau, Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, began collecting data on crimes committed against foreigners, including tourists, in 2014. In 2014 and 2015, years for which the data is available, Delhi recorded the highest number of incidents of crimes against foreign tourists — 41.7% (113 out of 271 cases) and 35.2% (135 out of 384 cases), respectively. U.P. stood third on both occasions, recording 32 cases in 2015 (11.8%) and 64 cases in 2014 (16.7 %). Theft and assault on foreign women tourists, with intent to outrage her modesty, have been the most common crimes committed against foreign tourists.