A 30-year-old French woman has accused a 28-year-old man of raping her after a party in Udaipur on Monday night, police confirmed. The accused, Pushparaj Ojha alias Siddharth, is currently absconding, and a police team has been formed to trace and arrest him.
According to Udaipur SP Yogesh Goyal, the incident occurred after a gathering at a popular café. The victim alleged that the man took her to his rented accommodation in Sukher under the pretext of a drive and sexually assaulted her despite her repeated pleas to be dropped back at her hotel.
An FIR was filed at the Badgaon police station under Section 64(1) (rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita based on the woman’s statement. She is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital in Udaipur.
The woman, who arrived in India on April 17, travelled to Udaipur from Delhi on June 22. She said the incident occurred after she met the accused during a party at The Greek Farm, a local venue. In her complaint, she said the accused offered to step out for a smoke, later insisted on a drive, and eventually forcibly took her to his residence.
The woman said her phone battery had died, and she asked him to help charge it. Instead, he allegedly forced himself on her and raped her. He dropped her back at her hotel at around 6 a.m. the next morning.
The Badgaon police station SHO, Pooran Singh, said the woman confided in two of her friends about the assault, who then helped her reach a hospital and informed the police.
Police say efforts are underway to locate the accused, and the French Embassy in Delhi has been notified of the incident.
The case has sparked concern over the safety of foreign tourists and is being closely monitored by authorities.