15 Chinese nationals detained for staying in UP's Gautam Buddha Nagar district without valid visa: Report

“As part of the verification campaign, 15 Chinese nationals (including a woman) staying illegally in Gautam Buddha Nagar were detained by the Local Intelligence Unit with the support of local police on Monday. They are being sent to the detention centre in Delhi and will be subsequently deported to their country," the police said in a statement.

In Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddha Nagar district, the police have detained 15 Chinese nationals who were staying without valid visas in the Uttar Pradesh district. Issuing a statement, the police said on Monday, “As part of the verification campaign, 15 Chinese nationals (including a woman) staying illegally in Gautam Buddha Nagar were detained by the Local Intelligence Unit with the support of local police on Monday. They are being sent to the detention centre in Delhi and will be subsequently deported to their country."

Of the 15 Chinese nationals detained, two were living in Greater Noida while the rest were in different areas of Noida. (Representative image)

The action was launched by the police for verifying foreigners living in the UP district in the wake of a Chinese national being arrested in June, news agency PTI reported. The Chinese national, who was illegally staying in Greater Noida, is currently under investigation for suspected hawala links by the Special Task Force (STF).

The police, meanwhile, said on Monday that of the 15 Chinese nationals detained, two were living in Greater Noida while the rest were in different areas of Noida. The verification drive for foreigners living in Gautam Buddha Nagar would continue, the police added.

Since June, 45 people hailing from China have been reportedly detained or arrested for illegal stay in Uttar Pradesh district and several of them have been deported also, officials said. On August 2, Union minister Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha that 117 Chinese nationals were deported between 2019 to 2021 for violation of visas.

(With agency inputs)