UDAIPUR, India (BN24) — Rajasthan police have launched a search operation after a 30-year-old French national accused a 28-year-old man of raping her following a party in Udaipur on Monday evening.
The woman, who arrived in India on April 17 and had been traveling from Delhi, filed a complaint stating she was assaulted by a man she met at a local café party, according to Udaipur Superintendent of Police Yogesh Goyal. The accused has been identified as Pushparaj Ojha, who also goes by the name Siddharth and reportedly worked with an event management firm.
The woman, who had reached Udaipur on June 22 by bus from Delhi, went to The Greek Farm café that night with two friends for dinner and a party. According to her complaint, the accused approached their table during the party, later suggesting they step out for a smoke. He then reportedly persuaded her to accompany him for a drive.
The woman told police that she repeatedly asked the man to drop her back to her hotel, but instead, he drove her to his rented flat in Sukher. Her phone had run out of battery, and when she asked him to help recharge it, she alleged he assaulted and raped her instead. She was dropped back at her hotel around 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Badgaon police station house officer Pooran Singh confirmed that the French woman was admitted to a private hospital in Udaipur Tuesday morning. “She informed her two friends about the assault, after which they took her to the hospital and also contacted the police,” Singh said. “A case has been registered under Section 64(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.”
Singh added that once she is discharged from the hospital, officers will take a more detailed statement from her. “We have formed a team to track and arrest Pushparaj Ojha. He is currently absconding,” Singh said.
Authorities have informed the French Embassy in Delhi about the incident. The embassy is expected to extend assistance to the survivor while the legal process unfolds.
The incident has reignited concerns about the safety of foreign tourists in India, particularly in destinations like Udaipur that are popular with international travelers. While sporadic crimes against foreigners have been reported in the past, a sexual assault involving a visiting European national has drawn significant attention.
Police have urged anyone with relevant information on the accused’s whereabouts to come forward. Meanwhile, investigations continue and the survivor remains under medical care and police protection.
