German national gets blamed for altercation

Uttar Pradesh is getting a bad name for tourist bashing. A German national was allegedly beaten up by a railway supervisor at the Robertsganj railway station in Sonbhadra district, police said on Sunday.

The incident comes on the heels of a Swiss couple being heckled and physically assaulted near the railway station at Agra's Fatehpur Sikri.

German national Holger Ereek was allegedly beaten up by railway supervisor Aman Kumar after which the station master informed the police. Circle officer Vivekanand Tiwari said Aman Kumar has been arrested. However, the railway employee alleged that when he greeted Ereek by saying "welcome to India", he hit him. The victim refused to talk to the media.

‘‘According to reports, the railway supervisor had merely enquired from the German about his wellbeing, which angered him. The German hit the railway employee, who might have pushed him in retaliation. Based on the complaints of the two, non- congnizable reports have been registered. Their medical examination has been conducted," ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar told reporters in Lucknow.

"This German national may have some problems... anger management issues, depression or some aberration," Kumar told a media briefing in Lucknow. "He was aggressive with a railway supervisor who intervened... and later, the police post in-charge," the Additional Director General of Police said.

On October 22, the Swiss couple from Lausanne in Switzerland, Quentin Jeremy Clerc (24) and his girlfriend Marie Droz (24), was chased and attacked with stones and sticks by a group of five youths in Fatehpur Sikri, triggering widespread outrage. The couple was quoted as saying in a media report that they were strolling near the station when a group of youths started following them and pestering them for selfies. Later, they were attacked.