Ex-servicemen to be hired for tourists' security

New Delhi, Jan 24 Taking serious note of the rising incidence of foreign tourists' rape, the union tourism ministry has decided to hire retired defence personnel for security.

The ministry Thursday called a meeting of tourism secretaries of all states and union territories here to discuss the safety and security of foreign tourists. The ministry of home affairs (MHA) was also represented at the meeting.

Talking to reporters, Tourism Secretary Shilbhadra Banerjee said: "It has been decided that the large bank of trained, disciplined ex-servicemen in the country can be used to provide security to the tourists. Each year around 60,000 defence personnel retire from service."

Anita Choudhary, additional secretary, MHA, was also present in the meeting.

The concept of tourist police, which has been in the offing for sometime now, was also stressed in the discussions.

"Till now 10 states, including Delhi, have tourist police. We have reiterated this need in the meeting and advisories are being sent to the states," Banerjee said.

However, when asked whether a dedicated police force for the purpose will be formed, Banerjee said policing was a state subject and he had little say in the matter. "I wish this could happen," he said.

Among other measures, the provision of fast-tracking rape cases of tourists is being promoted. "All the rape cases that were reported were solved, except one. And these cases were tried in fast-rack courts," Banerjee said.

"Zero tolerance will be observed in any case that is reported," he added.

In the past 24 days around seven cases of rape or molestation of foreign tourists have been reported from various parts of the country. On New Year's night cases of molestation were reported from Mumbai and Kochi.

India attracts around four million foreign tourists every year.

Other measures to be adopted include formation of complaint cells and dedicated phone numbers for tourist security in all the major tourist destinations.