GUWAHATI: The Assam police on Friday detained seven German nationals for violating India’s visa rules by carrying out Christian missionary work in the state on tourist visas instead of entering the country on missionary (M) visas.
The group has been detained under a restraining order at a private resort in Kaziranga National Park, Golaghat district, where they have been staying since October 25. Police have also detained an Indian, Mukut Bodra of Jharkhand, who was accompanying the group.
Golaghat SP Ramandeep Kaur said, “We found that the Germans have tourist visas. They can’t carry out any missionary work on tourist visas. They will be deported to their country on Saturday.”
Police said action is also being taken against local Christian organisations which had invited the Germans without advising them correctly on the right kind of visa required. Police said that the Germans attended religious congregations in Tinsukia, Margherita and Karbi Anglong and were scheduled to attend another such event at Tezpur on Saturday.
This is the second such incident in the state since Wednesday when three Swedish nationals were detained at Namrup for participating in a religious congregation, thereby flouting visa norms in the same way. They were deported to Sweden on Thursday.
Action is also being taken against local Christian outfits which had invited the Germans without advising them on the kind of visa required.