Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have detained a Chinese national for entering the region without permission and conducting activities that raised serious security concerns. The arrest followed an alert generated by the army after it intercepted unusual chatter on the internet, officials revealed on Sunday.
From Tourist Visa to Restricted Zones
Hu Congtai, a 29-year-old graduate from Boston University, arrived in Delhi on November 19 on a valid tourist visa. His visa permitted travel to specific Buddhist religious sites in cities like Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, and Gaya. However, officials stated that he exploited his physical resemblance to locals and deviated from his approved itinerary immediately.
On November 20, just a day after landing, he boarded a flight to Leh in Ladakh. He failed to register his arrival at the mandatory Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) counter at Leh airport, his first major visa violation. He spent three days touring the sensitive Zanskar region and other important locations in the Himalayan town before proceeding to Srinagar on December 1.
Suspicious Movements and Phone Searches
During his stay in Srinagar, Hu checked into an unregistered guest house. His movements, as pieced together by officials from phone data, were particularly alarming. He visited Harwan, a site of a Buddhist religious place that was also the location of an encounter where a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was killed last year.
He also traveled to the Awantipur ruins in South Kashmir, which is situated near the Indian Army's Victor Force headquarters. His tours included prominent Srinagar landmarks like Shankracharya hills, Hazratbal, and the Mughal Garden along Dal Lake.
A forensic examination of his phone history proved to be the most incriminating. It revealed searches related to the deployment patterns of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the valley. Furthermore, he had searched for information on Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir before its abrogation in August 2019. Officials confirmed he had procured an Indian SIM card from the open market.
Background and Potential Consequences
Hu Congtai, who claims to be a travel enthusiast, holds a passport showing previous visits to the United States, New Zealand, Brazil, Fiji, and Hong Kong. He is currently being questioned by multiple security agencies.
Given the clear violations of his visa conditions—entering restricted areas without permission and failing to register with FRRO—authorities stated that the strongest action they can take is to deport him back to China. The investigation continues to ascertain the full intent behind his travels and searches in the sensitive union territory.
