A Dutch travel influencerwith the username “@avocadoontheroad”, recently faced harassment while traveling by train from New Delhi to Agra. In the video she published, she said that the young man repeatedly took selfies with her without permission and even began secretly recording her, which made her feel very uncomfortable. The video has gone viral and netizens are criticizing the man for defaming the country’s image.
The video begins with a woman reporting that she is taking a train to India, then panning the camera to the person she reports: “This annoying guy is taking pictures of me and annoying me all the time in a very rude way. So I thought I would do the same.” She goes on to add, “If there’s an ad near you, do the same. Put the camera to your face.’ However, the man shamelessly poses for the camera and even makes a victory sign.
In the caption of the video, she explains: “I boarded the train very tired hoping to rest, but the man sitting next to me kept talking to me and secretly taking pictures of me. I was going about my business, trying to look out the window, but he kept looking at me and even what I was doing on the phone.’
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She added: “It was a very bad atmosphere and I didn’t feel comfortable to rest at all. He didn’t stop even after I begged him to, so I made a video for myself. I was hoping he would understand because I spoke a little English, but I think he was too absorbed in himself that he didn’t even pay attention to what I was saying.
Netizens criticized the man in the comments. One user wrote: “Hey, sorry about the experience. Apparently, this is a very common attitude towards foreigners. Next time please ask TT to move and feel free to make a scene. Most of the crowd will definitely help you.” Another wrote: “SORRY you had to go through this. Some people are like him but not all Indians are like that.”
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The video has about 5 million views. She later updated her caption and thanked everyone who supported her in the comments section. She even stated that such incidents will not change the perception of India. She wrote: “I love India so much and this experience will definitely not stop me from exploring this beautiful country. I’ve already made a lot of local friends along the way, and I’m grateful for that. So thank you for all the kindness and hospitality you offer in India.”
