Couple escape ‘armed’ gang on Ganges
● Men arrested after trying to rob pair on trip along the river by boat
A couple on a round-theworld trip were forced to cross the River Ganges in an inflatable dinghy to escape a gang of shepherds they believed to be armed.
Matthew Kidd and Jessica Gray were three weeks into their trip and camping on the shores of the river in India when they encountered the men. They later told police two men asked them for a “selfie” before attempting to rob them at “gunpoint” using what turned out to be a stick and a tea towel.
The pair were held up for an hour before they managed to jump into the river, swim to their boat and row across to a neighbouring village for help.
A video shows Ms Gray, 28, a former Edinburgh University student, and Mr Kidd, 30, on the safety of the opposite river bank trying to explain what happened to local rescuers.
Mr Kidd can be heard saying: “They threatened us with a gun. We were there for about an hour. It was a long time.”
The couple, who are former geography teachers from Glasgow, embarked on their trip on 14 September. It is understood they are mid-way through a boat trip along the Ganges from Haridwar to Kanpur, and were attacked in Pandarak.
After she was rescued, Ms Gray reportedly told police: “We had just set up the camp in Pandarak and were about to start preparing our dinner.
“We noticed that some people were coming towards us. They pointed guns at us demanding money. When we told them that we don’t have any money for them, they started abusing us physically. “We somehow managed to free ourselves from their clutches after an hour and jumped onto our boat. We paddled briskly to cross over to the other side of the bank where local people came to our rescue.”
The couple claim they initially refused to hand over cash, before relenting when the two men pointed what they thought was a weapon at them. Mr Kidd said they tried to give them 400 rupees before escaping. The villagers they found on the other side of the river informed police, who arrested two men around four hours later.
Manu Maharaj, Senior Superintendent of Police of Patna, said: “Both the accused were traced and arrested from near the banks of the Ganges.”
According to their blog, the couple now plan to cross into Nepal to reach Everest Base Camp on foot – dressed in kilts – after completing their kayak trip on the River Ganges,
A post from Ms Gray on her blog said: “Friday 11th August 2017 marked my last day working in London.
“A week later, I was packing up my room and leaving the city that I have called home for the last two years.
“Why? To live my dream of travelling the world and making the life-changing decision to do it with my boyfriend.
“It’s quite a daunting prospect, leaving a job that I had established myself in for the past two years, as well as leaving behind friends and family.
“But when the opportunity arose to travel with Matt, I grabbed it with both hands.”