Fatehpur Sikri: 5 held for attack on Swiss couple
Sushma Swaraj seeks report from Uttar Pradesh government
Lucknow/New Delhi: A young Swiss tourist couple was attacked by five youths in Agra’s Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh leaving them battered and bruised after which all of them were nabbed, the police said on Thursday. As the Centre and the UP government condemned the attack on Sunday, doctors said Quentin Jeremy Clerc, 24, who came to India on September 30 with his female friend Marie Droz, also 24, are on the road to recovery.
In the wake of a horrific attack on a Swiss couple at Fatehpur Sikri near Agra in UP, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said she has asked for a report from the Uttar Pradesh government, adding that her officers would visit the couple in hospital.
UP secretary (home) Bhagwan Swarup late on Thursday night said that five people were found to be involved in the incident. “All five have been arrested/apprehended. Prima facie, two appear be major and the rest three minors,” he said in a statement.
Sources said that three arrested are minors.
Ms Swaraj tweeted, “I have asked for a report from the State Government . .... Our (MEA) Joint Secretary S. Bhattacharjee and Indian Ambassador designate to Switzerland C.B.George met the Swiss nationals Quentin Jeremy Clerc and Ms.Marie Droz in hospital this morning. They spoke to the concerned doctors who told them that while Ms. Droz has been discharged, Mr Clerc is improving. We are monitoring his progress in the hospital.”
Meanwhile, the circle officer at Achnera (Agra district) Satyam Singh said that the foreigners ‘were not interested’ in filing any police complaint and the police had registered a non cognizable report (NCR).
Union minister of state for tourism K.J. Alphons said in a letter to UP chief minister said that such incidents could have a negative impact on the image of the country. Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma said the incident was a matter of shame for the country.
The Swiss couple, who came to India on September 30, were allegedly attacked by a group of men near the railway station at Fatehpur Sikri.
The incident, which took place on Sunday, came to light a day after the conclusion of the India's biggest tourism festival which aimed at increasing the tourist footfall in the country.
In its statement, the Swiss Embassy said, “The Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi confirms that two Swiss citizens were attacked in India. In the framework of consular protection services, the Embassy is providing support to them.”