Group of Tourists from Tripura Abused, Manhandled at Assam’s Dima Hasao

In a shocking incident at Assam’s Dima Hasao district, a group of tourists from Tripura were allegedly manhandled and assaulted by a homestay owner.

Dima Hasao, being one of the state’s prominent tourist destinations witnessed the unfortunate incident involving a group of tourists from Tripura, raising serious concerns over visitor safety in the hill district.

Talking to the media, one of the tourists said, “We were a group of 22 people and had come from Tripura. We had booked rooms at a homestay called ‘Appna Ghar’ in Haflong on January 12.”

According to him, the accused homestay owner  Swaraj Pal physically assaulted them and started misbehaving with the guests in the group, including women.

He further stated that, “we had initially agreed to pay ₹500 per day for cooking their own food at the homestay. However, after their arrival, the owner allegedly revised the charges to ₹1,500 per day. The group claimed they cooked food for one day and dined outside on the second day, but the owner demanded payment for both days.”

“After paying ₹3,000 as food expenses for two days, they informed the homestay owner that their overall experience had not been satisfactory and that there was no room service available. Following this, the accused homestay owner, Swaraj Pal, allegedly became aggressive and assaulted the tourists,” he further added.

According to another tourist, the accused Swaraj Pal did not stop there and went on to abuse the women in the group using obscene language, physically assaulted them, issued death threats, and forcibly threw the group out of the homestay.”

However, homestay owner Swaraj Pal denied the accusations, claiming that the tourists were consuming alcohol, smoking late into the night and creating a disturbance, which he said violated local culture and the homestay’s rules. He added that he asked the group to leave the premises following their behaviour, after which a fight allegedly broke out between both sides.

It has also been alleged that similar complaints had earlier been made against the same homestay owner by different tourists.

ALSO READ:Assam: Two severely injured as truck rams into car in Nagaon's Puranigudam