Goa police crack down on tourists forcing selfies with foreign women, detention warning issued

Calangute Police recently registered a case against two tourists from Odisha for allegedly harassing a Russian woman on Calangute beach.(AI-generated representational image)

Goa Police have announced that individuals found photographing foreign tourists without consent or coercing them into selfies will be detained, PTI reported on Friday. The warning comes amid growing concerns over repeated incidents of harassment involving domestic tourists and foreign women on popular beaches in the state.

According to police officials, several complaints have surfaced in recent weeks about Indian tourists clicking pictures of foreign women without permission and insisting on selfies, often making the women uncomfortable. Acting on one such incident, Calangute Police recently registered a case against two tourists from Odisha for allegedly harassing a Russian woman on Calangute beach.

The accused, identified as Akash Minaz (19) and Dhayan Tappo (34), allegedly took photographs with the woman without her consent and touched her inappropriately. The incident reportedly occurred last week, prompting swift police action.

The issue had earlier drawn national attention in November after a video went viral on social media showing a group of Indian tourists forcing two foreign women to pose for photographs at Arambol beach while allegedly touching them inappropriately. Following public outrage, Goa Police arrested three men from Karnataka after registering a first information report.

The case was booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions related to assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, as well as wrongful restraint.

Meanwhile, the police’s firm stance has found strong support online, with many users praising the decision as long overdue. Several netizens said the move was necessary to prevent Goa’s reputation from taking further damage among international tourists.

One user wrote that the obsession with photographing foreign tourists was deeply troubling and pointed to a lack of civic sense among some domestic travellers. Recalling a viral video in which a foreign tourist was seen cleaning litter and urging locals not to throw garbage, the user said the incident was “embarrassing” and highlighted that development must also include better behaviour and strict enforcement of rules.

Another commenter criticised what they described as the “abysmal quality” of domestic tourism, attributing such behaviour to social frustration and lack of exposure. A third user said Goa Police were right to draw a clear boundary before such incidents became routine and irreversibly harmed the state’s image.