A boatman arrested by the tourism police over an alleged attempt to molest an Italian woman on Friday was granted bail by the judicial first class magistrate here on Sunday. Jijo of Thaipparambu house in Thakazhy, crew member of a houseboat, was massaging the body of the woman during a pleasure cruise, the police said.
“The 35-year-old woman hails from Venice and came to Alappuzha along with her boyfriend, 40-year-old Josepe, and rented a houseboat on Friday morning. While they were cruising along the backwaters of Punnamada, the woman reportedly invited the crew member to give her a massage due to her back pain.
While giving the massage, he allegedly tried to molest her.
“She resisted the move, but allowed him to continue with the massage. However, he repeated his attempt, that led to an angry protest and the couple abruptly cut short their cruise and stay,” the police said.
The couple, the police said, returned to their room nearer the Finishing Point and took rest for a while.
On Saturday, they approached the tourism police and lodged a written complaint along with a photograph of the accused, which was taken by Josepe with his mobile phone.
The tourism police identified the boat and took the accused into the custody. He was later handed over to the Nedumudy police.
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Bjp criticises pm over his‘performance’
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, July 8
Seizing opportunity to target PM Manmohan Singh following criticism of his performance by Time magazine, the main Opposition BJP on Sunday said, he had only sent a message of “disillusionment, corruption and a leaderless economy”.
But the Congress, while countering the tag the Time magazine has given to Dr Singh, said, in the past eight years the PM has provided “political stability, social harmony, internal cohesion, economic growth and a greater role in global affairs”. Dr Singh, who has long been lauded for his pivotal role in liberalising the Indian economy, has been dubbed as an “underachiever” by the US magazine, which says he appears “unwilling to stick his neck out” on reforms that will put the country back on growth path.