With the controversy over the Scarlett Keeling murder in Goa refusing to die down, one more foreign tourist yesterday alleged that she was sexually assaulted in the holy town of Pushkar, a major tourist destination in Rajasthan. A 25 year old Australian tourist raised rape allegation against a Jaipur based youth whom she had befriended in Pushkar. But she later refused to lodge a formal complaint with the Pushkar police. The Pushkar police have told The Statesman that the tourist has withdrawn her allegations after admitting that she had consensual physical relationship with the accused person.

The alleged victim, a student of natural medicine from Brisbane had arrived in Pushkar from Jodhpur with two other international tourists on Thursday.

They were staying at a budget motel near the main bus terminus of the town where she befriended Rahul, the accused in the incident who was also staying at the same hotel. According to her initial statement to the local media persons she reportedly alleged that she was raped by Rahul on the terrace of the hotel on Friday night. However, she later denied the allegations and also refused to lodge a formal complaint with the Pushkar police. n SN