Bahraich (UP), Oct 22 (PTI) Three Sri Lankan nationals and a woman from Tamil Nadu were detained by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) near the Indo-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district while they were allegedly trying to cross into Nepal, police said on Thursday.
Although they had passports, the visas of the three Sri Lankan nationals had expired around three months ago, police officials said.
The four people were stopped by SSB personnel at the Rajhanwa check post under Murtiha police station late Wednesday night after they arrived in an autorickshaw and sought directions to Nepal, they said.
The SSB handed them over to the Murtiha police, which is questioning them with the assistance of an interpreter due to language barriers.
SSB officials declined to comment on the matter.
The Rajhanwa check post is located near a forested area where cross-border movement to Nepal is relatively limited. Most people travelling to Nepal from the region use the Rupaidiha border crossing, the official said.
Police are also investigating why the four were allegedly advised to attempt crossing through the relatively remote check post.
The detained Sri Lankan nationals have been identified as Ajith Kumar (39), Prabhash (38) and Kaushalya (38), all residents of Jaffna in Sri Lanka. The woman accompanying them has been identified as Dharma Sudhakar (35), a resident of Tamil Nadu, the officials said.
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told PTI that the purpose of their visit to the border area and their intended destination in Nepal were yet to be established.
Investigators are also trying to ascertain how the four reached the border check post and whether anyone had helped them get there.
Various central and state government agencies, along with intelligence units, are gathering information about the four, the official said.
A senior district official said no case had been registered against them and no deportation proceedings had been initiated so far. Further action would be taken after questioning and verification, the official said. PTI COR KIS SKY
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