Foreigner alleges harassment at Post Malone's concert in Guwahati

Guwahati: Two women from foreign countries were allegedly harassed and "touched without consent" at American rapper Post Malone's first Indian concert in Guwahati two days ago, one of them claimed in her social media account.

Guwahati Police said the victims have filed no complaint, but the force is looking into the matter.

Emma, who described herself as a backpacking travel vlogger across South East Asia, in a video post on Instagram, claimed that she and her friend were harassed and "touched without consent" in the concert held at Veterinary College Playground in Khanapara.

Malone had his debut Indian concert in Guwahati on Monday as part of the Assam government's 'Policy for Concert Tourism'. More than 20,000 tickets were sold for the programme.

"Do you think concerts are a safe place for women in India? Last night at the Post Malone concert in Guwahati, things turned serious very quickly. As two women in the crowd, both me and @amina_finds were touched without consent within minutes of entering the packed area," Emma said in her post on Tuesday.

After just 10 minutes, they had to force their way out and move to the back near the vendors because they no longer "felt safe", she added.

"Sadly, because of what happened, we were no longer able to enjoy the concert. This isn't normal crowd pushing. It's part of a wider issue of violence against women and the way harassment is minimised in public spaces," said the woman, who seems to be from Bangkok as per her social media account.

"No concert, no matter how big, should make women choose between enjoying the music and guarding their bodies," she added.

Emma, however, asserted that the incident is not a reflection of Guwahati as a whole as throughout their time in the city, they experienced much kindness, warmth and genuine hospitality.

"We met countless people last night who were lovely, respectful, and excited to share the moment. But it only takes a small number of men acting without respect or consent to ruin an entire experience and create an environment of fear.

"Women deserve to feel safe. Not just at concerts, but everywhere," she added.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner (East) of Guwahati Police Mrinal Deka told PTI that no complaint has been filed with the police so far.

"We are looking into the matter. However, there is a point. There were hundreds of police personnel present inside the venue. In fact, our senior officials met her there. Why did she not inform them about the incident then itself?" he asked.

Deka said police are now taking the matter seriously and exploring all angles as alleged in the social media post.