Odisha: French couple harassed, detained' on visit to Similipal Tiger Reserve

Baripada: A French couple was "harassed and detained" on a visit to Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha due to 'lack of understanding' between government departments.

Christophe Bolichoux (44) and Sandrine Dietrich (31), the couple from France, entered the Similipal sanctuary through Pithabata entry point yesterday.

While they were on their way to tourist points inside the sanctuary, STR employees intercepted the couple and demanded written permission of Mayurbhanj district magistrate.

The STR officials were unaware that the restriction on visits by foreign nationals to tribal and forest areas have been withdrawn, the officials said.

The Odisha government had imposed restriction on the visit of foreigners to forest and tribal areas after abduction of two Italians from Kandhamal jungles by Maoists in 2012. However, the order was withdrawn last year.

The foreign couple alleged that STR staff members misbehaved with them, leaving them stranded for over two hours. They said that they were allowed to roam the sanctuary area after intervention by senior officials at the STR head office.

"We are anguished over the detention," the couple told reporters on their return to the district headquarters town here.

Lack of communication between the Tourism and Forest departments has caused this harassment, they said.

When contacted, Mayurbhanj district tourist officer Manoranjan Mohapatra termed the incident as "unfortunate". He clarified that as per communique received from the Tourism department, no restrictions were imposed on the visit of foreign nationals to places of tourists' interests.