Dutch tourist stays with beggars in Odisha after taxi driver loots him

Bhubaneswar: A 72-year-old tourist from the Netherlands, who had checked in to a hotel in Puri, claimed on Friday that he stayed at a shelter home for beggars for over a month, after he was allegedly robbed by a taxi driver. Anthony Von Arkel also said that the taxi driver had “locked him up” at a house in Bhubaneswar for three days following the incident.

He had registered a complaint in this connection on January 25, a police officer said.

Arkel claimed that he went to Bhubaneswar from Puri in a cab to exchange foreign currency on January 9, and during his onward journey to Bhitarkanika, the driver robbed him of his money when he stepped out of the car to relieve himself.

The tourist then had an altercation with the driver, who took Arkel to his parental house and “locked me up for three days”.

“With some youths’ help, I returned to Puri via Bhubaneswar. I then went to the police and filed a complaint,” he said.

With very little money in hand, Arkel had to stay in a shelter home for beggars from January 25 to March 1, he told reporters here.

After the media reported the incident, the Puri district administration arranged for his stay at the state guest house, he said.

“I love India very much and this is my sixth visit here. I love the people, nature and the country’s temples. People are very friendly, but such an incident can happen anywhere, even in my own country. The media and the state government helped me to get through the situation. So, my love for India remains,” Arkel asserted.

Puri SP Pinak Mishra said the accused has been identified and he will be nabbed soon.