Chinese woman detained in Gaya, to be repatriated

The mysterious woman, alleged of spying on religious leader Dalai Lama, has been detained in Gaya in Bihar.

Patna, Dec 29: The cops detained a Chinese woman suspected of spying on Dalai Lama in the Gaya district in Bihar on Thursday.

The foreign national was picked up from a guest house at Maharani Road in Bodh Gaya, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gaya, Harpreet Kaur, told PTI. There were reports that she was spying on Dalai Lama, but it has now been revealed that she is an ardent follower of the Buddhist preacher.

"A search was launched for her after an intimation from the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office at Kolkata that she had violated visa norms that allowed her to stay for not more than 90 days at a stretch". "She has been in India since October, 2019. She went to Nepal in January 2020 for four days and upon return to India, settled in McLeod Ganj", said the SSP.

"She came to Dharmashala in 2020. Her visa is valid till 2024 but as per guidelines, she had to return after 90 days. She has violated that and now further action of deporting her will be taken. She came to Bodh Gaya on December 22," Ashok Prasad, City SP, Gaya, said.

Police had earlier issued a sketch of the woman, identified as Song Xiaolan, besides sharing her passport and visa details with the press. Security was beefed up around the Mahabodhi Temple Complex with the screening of devotees being intensified.

"We got inputs about a Chinese woman who has been overstaying in India and is presently said to be in Bodhgaya, which we verified and launched a search. In view of the inputs, the security personnel deployed in Bodh Gaya for the security of the Dalai Lama were alerted," a report quoted Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harpreet Kaur as saying.

The ANI report said that the Chinese woman had been living in different parts 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 every day, the report also added.