Concerns about the safety of foreign tourists in India are a recurring topic, but a video claiming to show an Australian citizen being forced to work at a brick kiln in eastern Agra city is misleading. AFP tracked down the individual in the video, who confirmed he is an Indian citizen who suffers from a rare genetic condition.
"Australian citizen Anderson came to India witnessing the beauty of the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra. However, what was supposed to be a memorable trip soon turned into a nightmare when his bag was allegedly stolen, taking away his passport, visa, money, and other important documents", reads the caption of a June 23, 2026 Instagram post.
The post goes on to claim that the video, which has been viewed more than 2.3 million times, shows a fair-skinned man who has been forced to work alongside other labourers at a brick kiln to earn a living.
Concerns about the safety of foreign tourists in India have also been periodically raised by foreign governments. Canada urged its citizens to "exercise a high degree of caution" in India due to the threat of terrorist attacks throughout the country in a June 2026 advisory (archived link here and here)
Last year, the US State Department advised travellers to "exercise increased caution" due to crime and terrorism risks. It specifically warned women not to travel alone, citing reports of sexual assault at tourist sites and in other public places (archived link here and here).
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