Srinagar/New Delhi, December 9: Indian authorities have detained a Chinese national in Kashmir after he allegedly entered Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir without mandatory permissions and searched online for security force deployments, officials said on Sunday.
The man, identified as 29-year-old Hu Congtai, arrived in New Delhi on Nov. 19 on a tourist visa that allowed travel only to specified Buddhist pilgrimage sites including Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur and Gaya. Instead, he boarded a flight to Leh the following day without registering at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, officials said.
Security agencies began tracking him after the Army intercepted unusual Internet chatter originating in the region. Hu travelled through the Zanskar region for three days before flying to Srinagar on Dec. 1, according to officials familiar with the investigation.
A search of his mobile phone revealed queries on CRPF deployments in the Kashmir Valley, Article 370, and locations close to key security installations. Officials said he had also acquired an Indian SIM card from the open market.
During his stay in Srinagar, Hu lodged in an unregistered guest house and visited several sensitive and tourist sites, including Harwan, the Awantipur ruins—located near the Army’s Victor Force headquarters—Shankaracharya hills, Hazratbal, and the Mughal Garden along Dal Lake.
Officials said his movements and online searches prompted questioning by multiple agencies. His passport showed extensive travel history, including visits to the United States, New Zealand, Brazil, Fiji and Hong Kong. He has a degree in physics from Boston University and described himself as a traveller.
Authorities said Hu had violated visa conditions, adding that the maximum penalty may be deportation. “He entered areas not permitted under his visa category and failed to register as required. At best, he may be deported,” an official said.
