The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar deported 10 French nationals out of the state Monday after they were allegedly found taking a keen interest in local activities and working closely with an NGO alleged to have links with Maoists.
They were expelled two days after they had been detained and interrogated by the local police for violating their tourists visas by working for the NGO.
Police said the 10 people included six women who had come to India earlier this month but had been extensively touring the "Maoist hotbeds" of Bihar working closely with Ekta Parishad, an NGO which claims a non-violent people's movement working for land, water and forest rights.
They also attended public meetings organised by the NGO and interacted with villagers deep in the forests without informing the local authorities.
"They had come on tourist visas but got themselves involved in certain activities without informing the local police. It was a clear violation of visa norms and hence we had to deport them out of the Bihar state," Bihar's additional director-general of police (headquarters) Ravindra Kumar told Gulf News over the phone Monday.
They were expelled two days after they had been detained and interrogated by the local police for violating their tourists visas by working for the NGO.
Police said the 10 people included six women who had come to India earlier this month but had been extensively touring the "Maoist hotbeds" of Bihar working closely with Ekta Parishad, an NGO which claims a non-violent people's movement working for land, water and forest rights.
They also attended public meetings organised by the NGO and interacted with villagers deep in the forests without informing the local authorities.
"They had come on tourist visas but got themselves involved in certain activities without informing the local police. It was a clear violation of visa norms and hence we had to deport them out of the Bihar state," Bihar's additional director-general of police (headquarters) Ravindra Kumar told Gulf News over the phone Monday.
