Chinese tourists visiting Khajuraho robbed by guide

Six Chinese women visiting Khajuraho and Panna National Park were robbed by their guide during their stay at a hotel in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, police said.

"These women tourists had reached Panna on January 19 and were staying in a hotel near the national park from where their guide Rajkumar, hired from Varanasi, escaped with their bag containing Rs1.5 lakh (Rs.150,000) cash and other valuables including jewellery," Chhattarpur Superintendent of Police D. Sriniwas Verma said.

According to a complaint lodged at Bamita police station by one of the tourists, 30-year-old Zeing Siu Ling, the bag had $2,000 and 1,600 yuan besides some jewellery.

The tourists found the bag missing while checking out of the hotel. Later, when they found that the guide was also untraceable, they went to the police station and lodged a complaint.

Khajuraho, one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, has a large group of temples famous for their erotic sculpture. In 2008, 89,174 foreign tourists visited the town, 340 km from state capital Bhopal.

Though it is not yet known whether the guide, Rajkumar, was licensed, locals say a number of unlicensed and rogue tourist guides are reported to be active in the area.

"Known as Lapkas in local parlance, such rogues are basically local tribals who have become a big nuisance," said an Archaeological Survey of India official posted at Khajuraho.

Over 18 complaints of thefts and forgery were reported by foreign tourists in police stations of Chhatarpur district last year alone.