GUWAHATI, Assam – December 9: A Post Malone concert, marking the superstar's debut performance in India, has been overshadowed by serious safety allegations from a British tourist, reigniting a fraught debate about security for women and tourists in the country.
On December 8, at the crowded Veterinary College grounds, travel influencer Emma (@discoverwithemma_) and her friend Amina faced a harrowing experience in the general admission pit. Amid a crowd of over 20,000 fans, the women reported being subjected to repeated and aggressive unwanted touching and groping.
Emma shared videos on social media depicting a scene of intense chaos and poor crowd control, stating the environment felt profoundly unsafe for women. "The concert itself was amazing, but the pit was a free-for-all with zero protection. We were grabbed and pushed repeatedly. It was terrifying," she recounted in a now-viral post.
The incident has sparked urgent talks about crowd management and security protocols at India's increasingly popular large-scale international events. While both women expressed gratitude for the "overwhelming hospitality" of the city and praised specific locals who tried to intervene, their ordeal points to a persistent gap in on-ground enforcement.
Notably, the women have chosen not to file a formal police complaint, despite the Guwahati Police publicly offering support and investigation.
A Broader Pattern of Concern?
This episode feeds into a larger, damaging narrative about tourist safety in India that authorities have long struggled to counter. High-profile cases, from the horrific 2023 rape of a Brazilian-Spanish tourist in Jharkhand to the 2022 alleged rape of a South Korean woman in Delhi, routinely make international headlines, shaping global travel advisories.
The concerns extend beyond violent crime. Stories of harassment, aggressive touting, and financial exploitation—such as the recent scandal where a French tourist was allegedly extorted for Rs. 40,000 by a taxi driver after a delayed IndiGo flight from Delhi—compound the perception of a system that can fail visitors.
The IndiGo incident, where the tourist faced a 16-hour delay with minimal support before being targeted upon arrival, was separately highlighted by the French embassy, underscoring institutional shortcomings in passenger welfare and security.
Official Response and Lasting Impact
Concert organizers have yet to issue a detailed statement on the specific security allegations. The Guwahati Police reiterated their commitment to visitor safety and encouraged formal complaints to enable action.
For Emma and Amina, the experience was a stark contrast to the warm reception they otherwise received. "We've moved on from the incident," Emma stated, "but we hope by speaking out, events in the future will have better plans to protect everyone, especially women in crowded spaces."
As India pushes aggressively to become a global hub for major concerts and tourism, the challenge remains not just to attract visitors, but to ensure their experience is not marred by incidents that reinforce old, damaging stereotypes. The echo from Guwahati's pit suggests there is critical work still to be done.
