Orissa invites 145;harassed146; Japanese tourists to Konark

Tourism Minister Debi Prasad Mishra, who spoke to the tourists over telephone, said the Government would initiate stern action against the guide who had allegedly harassed the guests.

8220;The tourists were in Gaya when I spoke to them. They had earlier lodged a complaint against a guide at Konark,8221; he said adding that the Government decided to invite the foreigners because no one should carry a wrong impression of the state. The sources said out of a group of 40 Japanese tourists, who came to India under a programme organised by India-Japan Friendship Club, six women had come to Konark. They were accompanied by one Kuna Das, an Oriya who stayed in Japan. According to allegations made by the tourists, one particular guide had demanded excess amount of money from them for undertaking a visit to the temple.

Meanwhile, in another incident, the city police arrested a truck driver for harassing two tourists from Switzerland. They were allegedly harassed by the truck driver after a road accident.