Minutes After Admiring Guwahati, She Was Harassed. What Must India Correct Before Hosting the World?

The Post Malone concert in Guwahati was meant to be a landmark moment—a celebration of global music finally touching down in the Northeast.

For Manchester-based travel vlogger 'Discover With Emma', who has been exploring the region for the past ten days, it was supposed to be the highlight of her journey. Hours before the show began, Emma was beaming with excitement.

Speaking to the media last Monday evening, she praised Guwahati as a “friendly,” “nice,” and “clean” city, describing how she had visited the Kamakhya Temple, attended the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, and travelled across the Northeast. She spoke warmly of the people she met and how much she loved the culture. She was thrilled that the concert was more affordable here than in England, where a Post Malone ticket costs nearly 200 pounds. This was her first concert outside England, and she couldn’t hide her joy, saying she was “very excited” and hoped her family could have been there too because Post Malone is her father’s favourite artist. She even talked about heading to Shillong the next day and possibly returning to Assam for the Falcon Festival in Assam's Umrangso from December 12 to 14, 2025. When asked about the rumoured visit of global pop icon Shakira next year, she laughed and said she would “definitely come again” if that happened.

But the optimism Emma carried into the stadium evaporated almost instantly once the concert actually began. The shift was abrupt, and it revealed a troubling reality about public safety in large Indian events.

After entering the crowded concert zone, Emma and her friend Amina found themselves in what she later described as a frightening, chaotic space where several men allegedly groped them repeatedly. What she first wrote off as normal crowd pressure soon escalated into deliberate and invasive touching. In a video she posted on Instagram (@discoverwithemma_), the two women are seen struggling to move as the crush of bodies tightened around them. According to her detailed caption, within minutes of stepping into the main area, both were touched without consent multiple times. They were forced to push their way out toward the vendor section, which, she noted, was “the only place we felt safe.”

Her description of the incident was deeply analytical, calling it part of a larger, entrenched problem. “This wasn’t normal crowd pushing,” she said. “No concert should make women choose between enjoying music and protecting their bodies.” The experience not only ruined their night but forced them to abandon their plan of watching Post Malone from the front—something Emma had been looking forward to for days. The contrast between her cheerful pre-concert interview and her shaken, disappointed post is a stark reminder of how quickly things can spiral for women in public spaces, even in cities that pride themselves on hospitality.

Despite the trauma, Emma made an important distinction. She clarified that what happened does not define Guwahati or its people, emphasising that the kindness she received throughout her stay remained unchanged. She thanked the locals who stepped in to help, noting that “several men were respectful and protective,” and her friend Amina echoed the same sentiment in the comments, praising the “good men who defended us and ensured our safety afterwards.” This dual reality—of violation by a few and support from many—has fuelled an intense debate online. While many expressed shock and disappointment, others urged that one incident should not overshadow the city’s broader reputation for warmth.

Still, the allegation has raised uncomfortable but necessary questions about safety at large-scale events in India. The Post Malone concert was one of the biggest international shows ever held in the Northeast, and the incident forces scrutiny of crowd management, security monitoring, and the readiness of organisers to respond to gender-based harassment. The timing is even more sensitive because the region has been trying to establish itself as a dependable destination for global performers. A night meant to showcase Guwahati’s capability instead highlighted a vulnerability that cannot be ignored.

It remains unclear whether the police have been informed or if a formal complaint has been lodged. The absence of clarity itself reflects how such incidents often slip into ambiguity unless victims pursue them forcefully. What stands out most is not just Emma’s allegation but the dramatic shift in her experience—from celebrating Guwahati’s beauty and culture to confronting harassment within minutes of entering a concert she had eagerly travelled to attend. The transition from joy to fear, from anticipation to distress, captures the very essence of India’s ongoing struggle with women’s safety in public spaces.

In the end, Emma’s story is not merely about a foreign tourist’s ordeal. It is a mirror held up to a nation that is trying hard to host global events but still falters when it comes to basic protections for women. A night that promised music, memory, and celebration ended up becoming a reminder that until safety becomes a priority, India’s ambitions on the global cultural stage will always be shadowed by its failure to safeguard the women who attend these events.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that he has been occupied over the past two days monitoring the situation concerning the alleged harassment of a foreign vlogger at the recent Post Malone event. 

Speaking to media, the Chief Minister stated, “I have been busy the last two days following this matter closely.”

Also Read: Foreign Backpackers Allege Harassment at Post Malone Concert in Guwahati, Spark Outrage Over Women’s Safety