3 Swedish nationals accused of preaching at Assam church held, fined US $ 500

GUWAHATI: Three Swedish nationals were apprehended on charges of violating their visa conditions and preaching Christianity in Assam’s Dibrugarh district on Wednesday

Published on: Oct 26, 2022, 22:18:40 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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GUWAHATI: Three Swedish nationals were apprehended on charges of violating their visa conditions and preaching Christianity in Assam’s Dibrugarh district on Wednesday. They were released after they paid US $ 500 each ( ₹41,500) in fines, a district official said.

3 Swedish nationals accused of preaching at Assam church held, fined US $ 500

According to the police, the three were identified as Marcus Arne Henrik Bloom, Hannah Mikaela Bloom and Susana Elisabeth Hakanason. They arrived in India on October 19 and reached Assam on October 24.

“We had information that they were involved in missionary activities and were preaching at a church in Namrup. Based on the information, we collected photo and video evidence and found the allegation to be true,” said Dibrugarh superintendent of police Shwetank Mishra.

“Since they arrived on tourist visas, it was a violation of visa norms. It was also found that they violated Section 14 of the Foreigners Act (for actions in violation of visa conditions). Based on that, they were apprehended,” he added.

Mishra added that as per existing provisions for violation of visa conditions, the three were fined and released.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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