Police detained a South African delegate at the World Social Forum after another participant of the anti-globalisation conference alleged that he raped her in his hotel room, police said on Monday.
”The man is being questioned. Our investigations are on,” said Ahmed Javed, joint chief of police in Bombay, where the six-day event is being held. It ends on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old woman delegate, also from South Africa, told police she was raped on Saturday night.
”They apparently know each other and went in a group to a night club after which he invited her to his room,” said Javed.
According to the reports, which include interviews with the woman and her husband, the alleged attack took place in the judge’s hotel room on Saturday night, where the woman had planned to discuss a project she was working on.
The woman filed a police complaint on Sunday and the judge was detained for questioning, Javed said. The judge has not been charged with any crime.
The incident disturbed delegates at the annual forum, which is being held for the first time in Asia and is aimed at battling the excesses of capitalism and globalisation.
At the event, about 100 000 activists from around the world were also speaking out for the rights of women.
”I’m horrified. It’s shocking for this to happen,” said French peace activist Simone Migniot. ”There should be a protest about this here.”
Forum organisers also condemned the incident, though the judge has not been formally charged.
”We are deeply shocked at the attack on one of our women delegates. We extend all our support to her and condemn the incident,” said Gautam Mody, a forum organiser.
A statement from the South African Department of Justice on Sunday night said that it was aware of the judge’s detention for questioning but did not have further details yet. – Sapa-AP