Japanese Tourist Drugged and Robbed in Varanasi

He was robbed of his visa, passport, 50,000 Yen and around Rs 20,000 in cash.

Image of Varanasi used for representational purposes.

(Photo Courtesy: Allevents.in)

A Japanese tourist was allegedly drugged and robbed of his belongings by a man posing as his tour guide in the Shastrinagar area of Varanasi on 14 December, police said.

The tourist has been identified as one Akihiro Tanaka. The 20-year-old resident of Tokyo reportedly arrived in the temple city the same morning by bus from Agra.

The tourist met the impostor while he was visiting a Buddhist site in Sarnath, police said. The two then left for the Varanasi ghat for sightseeing.

The accused reportedly offered Akihiro a spiked soft drink and the tourist reportedly fell unconscious after consuming it. When he woke up, he found himself in Shastrinagar when he woke up, the police said.

He was robbed of his bag that contained his visa, passport, 50,000 Yen and around Rs 20,000 in cash, along with an ATM card and other items, the police said.

An FIR had been registered against an unidentified person and a man hunt has been launched, they added.

Recently, a group of French tourists were attacked in Ahraura area of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, a Swiss couple was attacked in Fatehpur Sikhri in late October.

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