Tough time for touts: 12 held for harassing tourists in city

25 December 2020

Haridwar: Police and the tourist department got hard with touts who harass tourists in the city. Police arrested over a dozen of them on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to Tourist Assistance Force (TAF) officials, a campaign is being carried out against city touts.

“We have arrested 12 touts from different areas of the city while they were harassing foreign tourists,” an official said.

“There are a lot of habitual offenders’ among touts. They are being identified and a database is being prepared,” the officer said. TAF will also make sure the touts are released only on certified bonds. In case of repeated violation, they could be booked under more punitive laws. Currently, there are 50 ex-servicemen working for TAF. They are deputed at tourist spots, but they often find themselves at the receiving end of the touts. Nothing was done against attackers in instances when hawkers attacked them.

“Earlier, TAF used to round up the touts and handed them over to the police. They were then booked under Section 151 of CRPC but were released the very next day. Now, they won’t be able to get away with mild punishment anymore,” the official added.