Madikeri: The Kodagu Police are keeping a close watch on home stays as certain home stays are party to crime and other illegal activities. The number of registered home stays in Kodagu is less when compared to unregistered ones and action will be taken on home stay agents who trouble tourists, said Kodagu Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajendra Prasad.

He was recently speaking at an interaction meet organised by the newly-installed team of Rotary Misty Hills, Madikeri at Rotary Hall in Madikeri. Members of various associations and public participated in the meeting.

The SP said that agents appointed by several home stays were threatening tourists and were forcibly taking them to particular home stays against their will. This unhealthy competition among the agents has resulted in law and order problem. “These agents are bringing disrepute to Kodagu tourism and will be dealt with iron hand,” he said.

Elaborating, Rajendra Prasad said that home stays have a greater role in making Kodagu a tourist destination by offering various facilities. “Earlier, home stays were devoted to promote tourism and now-a-days, they are bent on making money. Mushrooming of home stays, profiteering and certain unscrupulous elements are spoiling the name of home stay business,” the SP said.

Mentioning that many home stays have become hubs of flesh trade and other illegal activities, the SP said that certain home stays were involved in honey-trapping incidents where women were used to lure unsuspecting victims to home stays where they are robbed. “We have taken action against some of them and stringent measures will be intensified to curb any illegal activity,” he added.

Listening to the comments and observations of the audience, Rajendra Prasad agreed that certain tourists do not respect local traditions and act in an unruly way. Kodagu Home Stay Association Secretary K.M. Karumbaiah said that home stay agents fleece both tourists and the home stay owners for commission. “This has led to arguments between tourists and agents. The Police must take steps to control them,” he said.

The SP himself recounted an incident where home stay agents had stopped his vehicle where he was travelling with his friend. “Some home stay agents stopped my vehicle at the middle of the night asking us about a home stay requirement. They backed off when I revealed my identity,” Rajendra Prasad said.

He assured that he will crackdown on the supply of ganja (marijuana) in the district. Expressing concern that many college students were becoming ganja addicts, he said that patrol teams will be formed to watch and take action on ganja supplying rackets.

Rotary Misty Hills President Rtn. H.T. Anil, Secretary Rtn. P.M. Sandeep, Past President Rtn.Keshava Prasad Muliya, Lions Club Secretary Madhukar Shet, Director Naveen Ambekal, Kodagu Press Club President A.R. Kuttappa and others  were present.