Police tepid about detection of foreigners
EMN
Dimapur, July 28
In a shocking disclosure that would have administrative and security agencies alarmed, more than a dozen Chinese nationals are said to have been deported by the Dimapur police on Tuesday, July 28 after the authorities found that they entered Nagaland illegally.
The Dimapur police issued a press release on Tuesday simply informing about the detection of the foreign nationals and their deportation but did not divulge further details particularly about why they were in Nagaland in the first place.The police simply stated that the Chinese nationals were “PAP defaulters”.
“The Dimapur Police on 28.07.15 detained and deported 15 Chinese nationals for entering the state without Protected Area Permit (PAP). They have been deported outside the state by the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur & Foreigners Registration Officer,” the police said.
In another case, the Dimapur Police personnel manning the Chumukedima check gate on July 28 have detained 17 persons while trying to pass without valid Inner Line Permit. They have been forwarded to the competent authority for legal actions, the police added.
Protected Area Permit
Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958 issued under the Foreigners Act, 1946 all areas falling between the ‘Inner Line’ as defined in the said order (this line is defined by the Ministry of Home Affairs) and the International border of the State have been declared as Protected Area.
Every foreigner except a citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter and stay in a Protected or Restricted Area, is required to obtain a special permit from a competent authority delegated with powers to issue such a special permit to a foreigner on application.
A foreigner is not normally allowed to visit a protected/restricted area unless the government is satisfied that there are exceptional reasons to justify it.
However, to promote tourism, some notified tourist circuits can be visited by foreign tourists either in groups of four or more, as a couple or as individual after obtaining necessary permit from the competent authority.
Penalties for violation of the above are liable to be taken against any person under Section 14 of the provisions of Foreigners Act, 1946, which reads:
“If any person contravenes the provisions of this Act or any order made thereunder, or any direction given in pursuance of this Act or such order, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine and if such person has entered into a bond in pursuance of clause (f) of sub-section (2) of section 3, his bond shall be forfeited, and any person bound thereby shall pay penalty thereof, or show cause to the satisfaction of the convincing Court why such penalty should not be paid”.
Protected Areas presently are:
• whole of Arunachal Pradesh
• whole of Manipur
• whole of Mizoram
• whole of Nagaland
• whole of Sikkim (partly in Restricted Area and partly in Protected Area)
Certain areas of Sikkim between West Bengal-Sikkim border and the ‘Inner Line’ passing through the State have been declared as Restricted Area.
Areas in Nagaland foreigners are allowed to visit after obtaining PAP from the competent authority
(Allowed for 10 days with a group consisting of 4 or more persons or married couples)
1.Dimapur District-Dimapur Town, Chumkiduma, Suthekima and all places on the National Highway No.39 enroute to Kohima town
2. Kohima district-Kohima town, Khonoma, Dzulakie, Kigwema, Jakhama, Viswema Khuzama, Japhfu, Dzuku valley
3. Mokokchung District-Mokokchung town, Lungkhum, Ungma, Impur, Mopungohukit, Chuchiyimlang, Tuli, Chanki
4. Wokha district-Wokha Town, Doyang, Vankhosang, Tsunki, Governor’s camp and Mount Tiyi
5. Mon district-Mon town, Chui and Shangyu
6. Phek district-Phek town and Pfutsero
7. Tuensang district-Tuensang town
8. Zunheboto district-Zunheboto town
