Danish national detained for illegally entering restricted area along Indo-Pak border in Bikaner
Jaipur (PTI): A 40-year-old Danish national was detained near the India-Pakistan international border in Rajasthan's Bikaner district for allegedly entering a restricted area without permission, police said on Sunday.
The man, identified as Rene, has been sent to the Joint Interrogation Centre in Bikaner for detailed questioning, and his passport details were being verified, they said.
He was found in suspicious circumstances on Hospital Road in Khajuwala area, close to the international border. Locals alerted the police as foreign nationals are rarely seen in the area, officials said.
A police team led by ASI Kishan Singh reached the spot and, considering the sensitivity of the area, informed the Border Security Force (BSF) and other security agencies. The agencies jointly questioned the man. No suspicious items were recovered from his possession, the police said.
During preliminary questioning, the man identified himself as a resident of Denmark and said he had arrived in India around seven months ago on a one-year tourist visa.
Officials said he initially responded in English but later stopped answering questions and reportedly broke down at the police station.
Superintendent of Police Mridul Kachawa said the foreign national was detained near the international border as he did not have the required permit to visit the restricted area.
"He has been sent to the Joint Interrogation Centre in Bikaner for detailed questioning. His passport details are being verified and efforts are being made to contact the embassy concerned. Further facts will emerge after interrogation," the officer said.
The police said Khajuwala is a sensitive border area where prior permission is mandatory for foreign nationals. Initial assessment suggests the man may have entered the area due to lack of awareness about restrictions, though all angles are being probed.
Further investigation is underway, the officials added.
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Bihar hooch tragedy toll rises to nine as three more persons die
Motihari (PTI): The toll in the hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district rose to nine on Sunday after three more people who had consumed spurious liquor died, officials said.
The first death was reported on Thursday, they said.
A total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with the deaths in the Turkauliya and Raghunathpur areas of Motihari, District Magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said.
A case of murder has already been registered on the basis of complaints filed by the family members of the deceased, police said.
Jorwal said one person is still in the hospital and his condition is reported to be critical.
"Seven persons have already been discharged after treatment," he told PTI.
"The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of the deaths can only be known after the reports arrive," he said.
The SHO of Turkauliya police station has already been suspended on charge of dereliction of duty, and a special investigation team has been constituted to probe the incident, officials said.
The deaths have led to a political slugfest in the state, where the sale and consumption of alcohol has been banned since 2016.
