Karnataka Police thrash foreigners for partying beyond permissible time

A party organised to celebrate Valentine's Day turned into a nightmare for 200-odd foreign tourists in the temple town of Gokarna in Karnataka when the police allegedly resorted to an unprovoked lathi charge on them.

Though the police claimed the tourists were crossing the permissible "time limit", "making noise" in the middle of the night and partying in forest area, the foreigners claimed they were beaten black and blue without any provocation. The shocked tourists have now approached their respective embassies to seek justice. Gokarna, 585 km from Bangalore, is among popular international tourist destinations for backpackers. Of late, because of increased restrictions in Goa and rise in attack on foreigners, Gokarna has turned into a safe alternative.

But with the influx of tourists allegations of drug peddling and supply of contraband in Gokarna, around 100 km from Goa, is reportedly on the rise. On the night of the incident, more than 200 tourists had gathered in a forest area near Kudle beach. They had lit up bonfire and were dancing to live music beyond 12:30 am (in Karnataka all commercial establishments have to shut by 11pm).

While the party was on, 10 policemen came and allegedly demanded money from the foreigners to continue the party. When the tourists refused to bribe them, the police allegedly mercilessly caned them without a warning. Tourists from as many as 25 different nations, including the UK, US, France, Israel, Australia and Russia, were reportedly injured.

None of the tourists has lodged any complaint with the local police fearing backlash, but 60 of them preferred approaching the media with a petition, a copy of which has also been sent to the embassies of the US and four European countries seeking intervention, they said.

The petition states, "We witnessed women being dragged by the arms, pulled by their hair, their faces slapped and beaten about their bodies with sticks. We offered no resistance at all but they continued to indiscriminately attack us with sticks, repeatedly hitting us without any restraint, and causing numerous injuries."

Uttara Kannada district SP R Dileep, however, said the Gokarna police received a complaint from the forest department that foreigners were partying in the reserved area. "We had raided the place because we had information that cannabis was being supplied at the party by Indians. The revellers did not cooperate and prevented them from performing their duties. We resorted to a mild lathi charge after they assaulted one of the cops," he said.

The police have arrested one Hari Lulla (35) on suspicion of being drug peddler.