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Woman Travellers Sexually Harassed in Varkala on New Year’s Night: A Shocking Incident

What was meant to be a night of celebration turned into a harrowing experience for a solo woman traveller in Varkala, Kerala, on January 1, New Year’s night. The incident took place at a backpackers hostel near the famous Varkala Cliff, where four women travellers, including her, were sexually harassed by a man from Kollam. In an exclusive conversation with TNM, one of the women shared the horrifying details of the incident.

The victim described how the Varkala Cliff and its surroundings felt extremely unsafe on New Year’s Eve, as large groups of local men had gathered everywhere. “They were harassing and catcalling. Some women in the hostel even reported incidents of groping and inappropriate touches,” she said, drawing a comparison to the mass molestation incident that occurred in Bengaluru’s Church Street a few years ago.

The woman had chosen to stay at The Lost Hostels in Varkala on December 30 and 31. On the second day, when she and other solo women travellers staying at the hostel went to a cafe at the Cliff for dinner, they encountered several men who were allegedly standing outside, passing crude remarks and catcalling women.

Concerned about their safety, the women decided to cancel their plan to attend a nearby New Year party and returned to The Lost Hostels. However, their troubles didn’t end there. “Three men tried to barge into the hostel at night, but the guard prevented them and sent them away,” she recalled. Despite this incident, the women managed to go to sleep around 2.30 am.

Unfortunately, the peace was short-lived. The victim woke up between 5 and 6 am on January 1 to find a man inappropriately touching her all over her body. Shocked but determined, she pushed him away and alerted the other women in the same dormitory. Together, they confronted the intruder and managed to force him out of the room.

The women then tried to inform the hostel authorities about the incident, but to their surprise, none of the staff, guards, or receptionists were present in the building at the time. Left with no choice, they returned to their room, only to hear a commotion in the nearest dormitory.

It turned out that the assaulter, identified as Akhil from Kollam, had entered the adjacent room and forcefully kissed a sleeping woman. The male guests and other residents of the hostel intervened, caught hold of the man, and physically assaulted him. The police were called, and they subsequently arrested the accused. The hostel authorities arrived only after some time.

Despite handing over the culprit to the police on January 1, he was not arrested until January 5. The Varkala police explained that the delay occurred because none of the women survivors had been willing to provide an official statement. “Finally, we have arrested him based on a complaint filed by the hostel owners on January 4. However, to ensure a strong case in court, we require the statements of the survivors,” the police stated. The accused has been booked under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and remains in custody.

However, the victim revealed that neither the police nor the hostel owners were cooperative in the days following the assault. She claimed that the hostel owners hesitated to file a complaint and only took action after the women pressured them through the media and the state Tourism Ministry. “When we contacted the police, they provided no clear details about the case or even the FIR copy. An officer from the Kerala Police’s Special Branch, named Selvan, took my details on January 4 but failed to provide any information on the case,” she said. TNM reached out to Selvan, who explained that the Special Branch’s responsibility is to inquire into such matters, and now that an FIR has been filed and the accused arrested, the case will be handed over to the respective police station for further proceedings.

Nevertheless, the delay in filing an FIR remains unexplained. “The hostel authorities had promised to pursue the case and ensure the man was punished, but their attitude changed. They even warned us against going public with this incident,” she added. The victim emphasized that the hostel was responsible for providing security and that their negligence led to the assault.

TNM attempted to contact The Lost Hostels via phone and text message, but no response was received.

It has come to light that the harassment of women travellers by local crowds has become a common occurrence in Varkala, particularly during busy periods. A 29-year-old woman who stayed in Varkala on December 24 and 25 revealed that the Cliff and its surroundings become unsafe for women after 7.30 pm. “Drunk men roam the streets in gangs, making it unsafe for women travellers. Our experience would have been different if men had accompanied us. I felt ashamed that this was the impression my non-Malayali friend would have of the state,” she expressed.

Another 26-year-old woman who visited Varkala in November shared a similar account. “During the Pooja holidays, Varkala Cliff felt unsafe in the evenings. The place was overcrowded with people from across the state and country. I witnessed men in gangs catcalling women and making lewd remarks. Strict police vigilance prevented any incidents of groping or molestation, but the hotel owners and traders displayed remarkably rude behavior with an attitude of ‘take it or leave it’,” she revealed.

When questioned about the presence of police personnel, she stated that they would caution tourists about safety measures, such as not leaning on the railings at the Cliff, but took little action against the unruly crowds.

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