Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 7: A 29-year-old Chinese national, Hu Congtai, was today detained in Srinagar for visiting Kashmir and Ladakh without permission.
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He was taken to Police Post Humhama in Budgam district near Srinagar Airport for questioning in connection with alleged violations of visa norms and suspicious movement across sensitive areas of Kashmir and Ladakh.
Congtai, who was staying at a cottage near Srinagar airport, was let off in the evening but has been asked to report back and will be taken to Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) for further questioning.
Hu, holding passport number EL7239333, arrived in New Delhi on November 19, on a tourist visa that permitted him to visit only selected Buddhist religious destinations, including Varanasi, Agra, New Delhi, Jaipur, Sarnath, Gaya and Kushinagar.
However, he allegedly managed to board a flight to Leh on November 20 without registering at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) counter located at Leh airport.
He subsequently stayed in Zanskar for three days, arriving there on November 25, during which he put up at Dolma Homestay and visited various monasteries and important places in the region.
Police Station Padam, Zangla, Zanskar, later contacted him telephonically and directed him to leave the area after it was found that his visa was not valid for Ladakh.
Acting on these directions, Hu left Zanskar on November 29 and reached Srinagar on December 1, where he stayed in a guest house in Friends Colony, Budgam, near Srinagar Airport.
Hu visited Shankaracharya temple, Hazratbal shrine, Mughal Gardens along the Dal lake, and a Buddhist religious site at Harwan and Awantipora ruins.
His visa, issued on October 31, 2025, and valid till December 30, 2025, does not permit travel to prohibited, restricted or cantonment areas, including Ladakh and other sensitive regions.
Following the security inputs, Budgam Police took cognizance of the matter and brought him to Police Post Humhama, where he is currently being questioned by multiple security and intelligence agencies to ascertain the exact purpose of his travel and possible violations of immigration and national security regulations.
Hu has completed his graduation in Physics from Boston University and has claimed that he is a travel enthusiast. His passport shows travel history to several countries, including the United States, New Zealand, Brazil, Fiji and Hong Kong.
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