Ahmedabad: A dispute between a group of Gujarat tourists and the management of Mishmi Hills Resort in Anini has escalated, with both sides accusing each other of misconduct. The incident came to light a few days ago after a video of a verbal altercation between hotel staff and the tourists went viral on social media.

The tourists have reportedly, through their advocate, served a legal notice on the resort owner, alleging unauthorized circulation of personal videos, photographs, and LinkedIn profile details online. The notice cites violation of privacy under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and defamation under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. It demands immediate removal of the content and warns of civil and criminal action, including a cybercrime complaint, in case of non-compliance.

One of the tourists also alleged harassment during his stay and objected to a ₹12,000 penalty imposed for carrying a bottle of wine into the room, claiming there was no clearly displayed policy regarding such charges.

In response, the resort management issued a public statement accusing the visitors of intimidation and threats, including references to political and corporate influence. It said the decision to make certain messages public was taken in the interest of transparency and staff safety.

Describing itself as a tribal-run enterprise promoting responsible tourism in the remote region, the resort denied targeting any community and maintained that disputes should be resolved through legal channels.

No official police statement has been issued so far regarding the incident. DeshGujarat