Chinese National Detained In Kashmir After Suspicious Online Activity And Restricted Zone Visits

New Delhi: Joint security agencies in the Kashmir valley have detained a Chinese national whose movements across restricted zones and suspicious online activity have raised alarm, triggering a wider police crackdown on hotels, homestays and houseboats accused of flouting immigration rules.

Officials identified the man as Hu Congtai (29), who was taken into custody at the Humhama police post in Budgam of central Kashmir. He is currently being questioned by multiple agencies over alleged violations of visa conditions and visits to sensitive locations in the Valley.

According to sources, the detention followed weeks of surveillance after military units flagged what they described as “unusual internet chatter” linked to his digital activity.

“It was not routine browsing. The nature of his searches and the timing of his movements raised suspicion,” said a senior intelligence officer, while wishing anonymity.

Hu had arrived in New Delhi on November 19 on a tourist visa restricted to Buddhist pilgrimage sites such as Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, Sarnath, Gaya and Kushinagar.

Officials say he managed to fly to Leh the next day without registering at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, a mandatory requirement for foreign nationals entering Ladakh. He spent three days in Zanskar before being asked by local police to leave once it was discovered that his visa did not cover the Union Territory.

By November 29, he was tracked in Budgam and reached Srinagar on December 1, where he stayed at an unregistered guest house. During his time in the Valley, he visited Shankaracharya Hills, Hazratbal shrine, Mughal Gardens and Harwan Buddhist shrine, while phone data also placed him near the ruins of Awantipora, close to the Army’s Victor Force headquarters.

Investigators say his mobile phone contained searches related to CRPF deployment in Kashmir and material on Article 370, revoked in 2019. He had also purchased an Indian SIM card from the open market.

“His internet history is not consistent with a tourist’s curiosity. He was probing deployment patterns and political developments. That is why we are treating this case with seriousness,” another official said.

Hu’s visa, issued on October 31 and valid until December 30, explicitly bars travel to restricted or cantonment areas. Authorities say his movements amount to a clear breach of immigration rules.

“He has flouted visa conditions and entered prohibited zones. Deportation will follow once the legal process is complete,” a senior police officer confirmed.

The arrest has prompted Srinagar Police to intensify checks on accommodations hosting foreign nationals.

Raids were carried out today across several parts of the city, and multiple establishments were found violating mandatory Form-C reporting norms under the Immigration & Foreigners Act.

Hotels in Rajbagh, Khanyar and Lal Bazar, a homestay in Nowabagh, and several houseboats on Dal Lake were booked for failing to report the presence of foreign guests.

FIRs have been registered against Hotel Blossoms, Hotel Grand MS, Hotel Golden Forest, Hotel Khyber, IMY HomeStay, and houseboats, including Floating Castle, Best View, Crystal Palace and Lake Palace.

Police officials said further investigation is underway to trace forward and backward linkages.

“Foreign nationals are welcome as tourists, but any breach of visa conditions or concealment of their stay is a serious offence. We cannot afford complacency,” a police officer said.

A police spokesperson added that Srinagar Police remain committed to safeguarding national security and public order, warning that non-compliance with Form-C submission norms will invite strict legal action.

Hu remains in custody at Humhama police post, where questioning continues to ascertain whether his activities were part of a larger network or simply violations by an overzealous traveller.

“Nothing is being left to chance. In the current security environment, we treat such cases with utmost seriousness,” said a senior police officer.

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