Chinese woman, suspected of spying on Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya, detained for visa overstay

The Chinese woman identified as Song Xiaolan had been living in India since 2020 overstaying her visa period, and she will now be deported, police informed in a press note.

Bodh Gaya (Bihar): A suspected Chinese woman was detained by Bihar police on Thursday in connection with an alleged threat to the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. The woman identified as Song Xiaolan had been living in India since 2020 overstaying her visa period, and she will now be deported, police informed in a press note. She had come to India to take "preaching" lessons from Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. "She first came to India on October 19, 2019, to take preaching from Dalai Lama. She went to Nepal in January, and then came back to India on January 20, 2020. As per the visa conditions, she had permission to stay here consecutively for 90 days. But she has overstayed and violated the terms and conditions," the release stated.

Earlier in the morning, a security alert was sounded in Bodh Gaya district where the Dalai Lama is scheduled to participate in public discourses after intelligence agencies alerted local police about a Chinese woman`s presence and suspected activities. The Dalai Lama arrived in here on December 23 and will stay here for one month.

Gaya police on Wednesday issued sketch of the woman, identified as Song Xiaolan, apart from passport and visa numbers which are EH2722976 and 901BAA2J, respectively.

SSP Bodh Gaya releases a press note regarding detained Chinese woman in Bodh Gaya. pic.twitter.com/sjT2eu9ZEU

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2022

The Dalai Lama has this year resumed his annual tour to Bodh Gaya, which had been suspended for the last two years due to the Covid pandemic.