Aussie spotted in Ratlam forest, cops spend night verifying identity

Indore: A 42-year-old Australian national was found sitting alone under a tree in a forested stretch between Bangarod and Jadwasa near Ratlam late Monday, triggering suspicion and a chain of verification that stretched for hours. The man was spotted around 11 pm by villagers, who alerted the police after finding his presence unusual in the isolated patch barely 500 metres from Bangarod railway station.A police team led by Namli outpost in-charge Pradeep Sharma reached the spot and found the foreigner disoriented and unable to clearly state his identity, prompting them to shift him to Namli police station for sustained questioning.Through the night, officers remained engaged as the man failed to provide coherent details initially. His reluctance to allow anyone to touch his trolley bag added to the suspicion, forcing police to proceed cautiously while verifying his claims.Documents recovered from him later, including a valid visa and a Delhi-bound train ticket, helped investigators piece together his movement. During questioning, he told police that he had mistakenly deboarded at Bangarod railway station and missed the train. He then began walking along the road, eventually reaching the forested patch where locals noticed him.Police are also looking into inputs suggesting he may have taken an auto before being dropped between Bangarod and Jadwasa. tnn