A British couple, Mathew and Jessie Kidd, traveling from Haridwar to Kolkata via the Ganga River were attacked by two men when they stopped in Bihar on Nov. 5. The men, who tried to rob them and molest Jessie, were arrested soon.
The vloggers, called Tartan Travellers, have been traveling across India in their kayak, or bullock-cart or autorickshaws. They stopped at an island at Pandarak on Nov. 5 evening, 80 km from Patna, to take pictures when two men attacked them, and stole their phones and money. The couple sought help from the neighboring village residents, who helped them by informing the police.
“Both the accused were traced and arrested from near the banks of the Ganges last night,” Manu Maharaj, the Senior Superintendent of Police of Patna, told PTI. They resumed their journey after the arrests were made.
Matthew and Jessie started their travel from Haridwar on Sept. 27. They are Scottish travel vloggers who run a website called tartantravellers.com.
In their blog, they write, “When we travel to the villages, the kayak comes with us. This means the kayak has experienced some unique transportations. So far, the kayak has been on 2 tractors, a tuk tuk and a buffalo cart along with men picking it up and carrying it on their heads!”
They usually camp during their travels but often villagers invite them to their homes and offer food and gifts.
Recently, a Swiss couple was beaten up in Uttar Pradesh’s famous tourist spot Fatehpur Sikri. The government then offered Marie Droze and Quentin Jeremy Clerc two-night stay at a five-star hotel to as a “token of concern”.