The detained Swedish nationals have been identified as Hannah Mikaela Bloom, Marcus Arne Henrik Bloom and Susanna Elizabeth Hakansson. They had arrived in Namrup to take part in a three-day event entitled 'Peace and Healing Prayer Festival'. It was scheduled to take place from October 25 to October 27. And the main organiser of the event was United Churches Fellowship and Bless Assam Mission Network at the Achabam Ghinai playground in Namrup of Assam.
"Three Swedish nationals came to participate in a religious meeting at Namrup on the invitation of a friend. They also addressed the congregation. Since they came on tourist visas they were not supposed to participate in such activities", Deputy Superintendent of Police in Namrup, Naba Kumar Borah commented on the incident.
Naba Kumar Borah also mentioned, "We detained them for flouting the visa norms. But since India and Sweden have a good relationship their embassy has sorted out the matter. We didn't register a case against them. Tomorrow they will be deported back to their country."
The three foreign nationals will be deported to Sweden on Thursday.
Flounting of visa norms by foreigners is nothing new in India. Due to the difficulties in tracking down people, a lot of them have been known to overstay the time. Also many have been arrested in the past due to connections with narcotic substances and arms.
Due to the rising problem of illegal immigrants in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur, the chief minister announces a door-to-door survey in the state. The step aims not only to detect and punish trespassers but also the localities that are found to support them.
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