Chinese woman held in Bodh Gaya brought to Delhi, FIR against hotel

The Chinese national, Song Xiaolan, 40, was traced to Ashish International Guest House at Maharani Road after intelligence agencies issued a sketch of hers late Wednesday evening, amid security concerns for the Dalai Lama

The Chinese woman detained at Bodh Gaya in Bihar on Thursday for overstaying her visa has been brought to New Delhi and will be deported to her country, the police said, adding that they have filed a case against the local hotel for failing to report her stay there.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar called on Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who is currently in Bodh Gaya, his annual retreat, after a gap of two years. (HT photo)

The Chinese national, Song Xiaolan, 40, was traced to Ashish International Guest House at Maharani Road after intelligence agencies issued a sketch of hers late Wednesday evening, amid security concerns for the ongoing Buddhist congregation and the presence of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who is on his annual retreat here after a gap of two years.

According to police, it is mandatory for hotels/guest houses to fill “form C” to inform the local police station whenever a foreigner checks into the accommodation. Along with the manual system, the Ministry of Home Affairs also introduced the online registration system of filling the form C in April 2014.

The Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Kolkata had earlier informed the Gaya police that the Chinese woman had violated visa norms that allowed her to stay for not more than 90 days at a stretch. She has been in India since October 2019.

Meanwhile, a Nepalese citizen who has been staying with Song Xiaolan at the same guest house since December 22, coinciding with the Dalai Lama’s visit to the Buddhist pilgrimage town, has been released after questioning, police said.

According to police, no objectionable item was recovered from the Nepalese citizen, who came in contact with the Chinese woman during their stay at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh a month ago.

Additional director general (ADJ) of police (headquarters) Jitendra Singh Gangwar said the Chinese woman’s visa has been cancelled by FRRO. “A police team brought her to New Delhi and she will be subsequently be deported to her country,” he said.

On August 2 this year, union minister for state for home, Nityanand Rai, had told the Lok Sabha that 117 Chinese nationals were deported between 2019 to 2021 for violation of visa rules.