A French woman has been arrested for making a video of herself naked on a holy bridge in the Indian city of Rishikesh.
According to reports, the 27-year-old now faces charges under India’s internet law with a maximum sentence of three years jail if found guilty.
She was detained on Thursday after posting footage of herself on the Lakshman Jhula, a footbridge over the Ganges river made famous by the Beatles in the 1960s and which remains a draw for backpackers and yoga practitioners.
“Maybe in France these things are not considered objectionable,” said R K Saklani, head of the police station where the woman was taken. “But Rishikesh is a holy place and the Lakshman Jhula is the place where (Hindu gods) Ram, his brother Lakshman and wife Sita crossed the Ganges.”
Police only identified the woman by her first name Marie-Helene and said she had been in Rishikesh since March, just before a nationwide coronavirus lockdown was introduced.
“She told us she sells bead necklaces online and the shoot was aimed at promoting her business,” Saklani said.
Apart from the video on the bridge, the French woman had also taken naked pictures inside a hotel room, Saklani added.
Police were alerted after the footage and photos were posted on social media.
The woman has been released on bail and the case could take months to complete, the officer said. Her mobile phone has been seized as part of the investigation.
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Later, it was reported that the woman apologised for her actions, but denied being completely naked and said she carried out the stunt to bring attention to sexual harassment.
In a statement to AFP, Marie-Helene said: “The first thing I want to say is that I am sorry my actions hurt the local community. I was lacking awareness on cultural specificities.”
She clarified that no-one was around when she carried out the stunt, and asserted that she did it to raise awareness about harassment in India.
“I chose to partially uncover on Laxman Jhula because each time I crossed the bridge I felt I was being harassed… My Indian sisters and fellow female travelers surely have experienced the same,” she said.
“The main goal was to help oppressed Indian women to access education and to leave abusive marriages or situations, where there are no other options or help.”
