The state government does not want to take a risk so far as safety of tourists, especially foreigners, is concerned.

Even as the Udyami Panchayat attended by the chief minister in Rajgir on Monday got a lukewarm response from potential investors in the tourism sector, police are not taking any chance that could jeopardise a visitor’s plan.

Tourism minister Sunil Kumar said the department had contacted the police headquarters requesting officers to direct the superintendents of police (SPs) of districts such as Gaya, Nalanda, Vaishali and others — mainly on the Buddhist circuit — to be vigilant and take down the smallest of complaints, if any, made by any foreign tourist very seriously.

The police, in a bid to provide protection to foreign tourists, had come up with special vehicles last year.

“At present, there are 16 such vehicles with the police. These are used for protection of foreign tourists and have been provided to districts, which witness a heavy inflow of travellers. If there is a large group of foreign tourists and the police have information about them, a vehicle, consisting of officers, move along with them clearing the road and escorting them. The police personnel also ensure that there are no problems of road blockades or security. The officers are always in touch with the local police stations and can call in for reinforcements, if required. The police can increase the number of vehicles but only after a feasibility check,” additional director-general of police (headquarters) Ravinder Kumar said.

Bihar has a lot of historical places such as the ancient Nalanda University, Bodhgaya, Rajgir and others, which draw in hordes of foreign travellers.

According to figures provided by the state government, around 10.97 lakh foreign tourists visited the state in 2012.

“The superintendents of police and senior police officers of some districts, which witness an inflow of foreign tourists, have been asked to stay alert. The department has learnt that cops in Gaya, Nalanda, Patna, Vaishali and others are following the directive and the station house officers of different police stations have been asked to be watchful. Any complaint, a foreign tourist, has to be treated with seriousness,” Sunil told The Telegraph.

On March 15, a Swiss woman was gang raped in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, while a British girl jumped from a first-floor hotel window in Agra to escape an attempted sexual assault four days later.