Mugged in Delhi, happy in city
By Amarjit Thind
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 16 — Even after being mugged at the busy Inter State Bus Terminus at New Delhi, an elderly couple from Sweden has got love and affection from the people of this region, particularly the Sikh family they are staying with in the city since the past few days.

Else-Marie Wilhelmadotter and Lonnart, aged 64 and 79, respectively, were mugged at the ISBT where they had gone to enquire about the bus schedules to many places they wanted to visit in this region. While Else-Marie is a former school teacher and Roma group counsellor Lonnart is a retired house builder.

This is the first visit of the couple to India and they wanted to know about the culture of the people and visit the Roma Centre in the city.

Showing the bruise on her face and pointing towards the painful ribs and her thigh and a healed cut on the back of the ear of her husband, she said everything happened in a jiffy and they were still too dazed to remember what happened.

Recalling whatever she could remember, she said they were pushed around and when she resisted she was hit in the face, ribs and her thighs by some persons who snatched a small purse containing her visa card, $ 540 besides some personal effects. “I cannot even recall their faces but it is very sad that no one in the busy terminus offered to help or do anything for us”, she added.

“We stumbled to some nearby benches and tried to recollect our wits and come to terms with the incident. We later went out to a hotel where a doctor was called. He prescribed some medicines and we rested for the day.

“We were too shaken and afraid to report the matter to the authorities but for the assurance given to us Mr Vinod Kalia, Assistant Director, Tourism, CITCO, and Mr Kuldeep Singh, head ragi, Gurdwara Nanak Darbar, Sector 35 “, she said.

Commenting on their stay, Else, who did most of the talking, said the Golden Temple was one of the most beautiful sights they had seen. It was so calm, peaceful and serene, a combination of all the things we were looking for. It was a heavenly experience. We also visited the gurdwara at Tarn Taran and were impressed by the size of the sacred tank.

“Chandigarh is a very nice city and we particularly enjoyed the rides on the rickshaw (I wish I could have one for my city, Stockholm). In fact, we have found an extended family in Kuldeep’ s. We could have stayed in a hotel but we wanted to stay with one and study how they live and communicate. We adore the family and I am teaching a few words of Swedish to the eldest child”, she remarked with a chuckle.

They have visited Srinagar and plan to go to Rishikesh and Haridwar in the next few days to have some lessons in meditation. Their advice to others is to be careful and not to be put off by nasty experiences, as one will meet good people during the course of the journey, “as we have”, they added.