Amidst Dalai Lama’s Bodhgaya visit, massive hunt for missing Chinese woman

New Delhi, Dec 29: A massive search has been launched for a Chinese woman amidst the visit by Dalai Lama to Bodhgaya.

A security alert was issued on Thursday morning in Bihar and a search launched for the Chinese woman. The security agencies have released the sketch of a woman identified as Song Ziaolan, news agency PTI said while citing officials. Her passport and visa details have also been shared with the press, the police said.

Security was stepped up around the Mahabodhi Temple Complex where the Dalai Lama addressed a gathering in the morning. The screening of the devotees has also been intensified, the official said.

Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police, Harpreet Kaur said that they were getting inputs about a Chinese woman for the past two days. However the police been unable to locate the Chinese woman while the Dalai Lama is in Bihar on a three day visit to impart teachings.

ANI quoted Kaur as saying. ' local police has received inputs about a Chinese woman who has been living in Gaya. We were getting inputs on her for the last two years. In view of this, an alert has been given and searches are underway."

Kaur also said that there is no information at present about the location of this Chinese woman. We also cannot rule out the fact that she may be a Chinese spy, Kaur further added.

The ANI report said that the Chinese woman had been living in different part of the country, including Bodhgaya for over a year now. However there is no record in the foreign section about the Chinese woman and her stay.

This year the Dalai Lama resumed his annual tour to Bodhgaya after it had been suspended for the last two years owing to COVID-19. At the Kaal Chakra maidan, he had addressed a gathering. He would be in Bodhgaya until December 31 during which he would impart teaching everyday, the report also added.