 "Curiosity killed the cat, now it has landed 2 British doctors touring Nepal in Indian jail")
Two British doctors, who crossed the India-Nepal border to take a stroll in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich, were taken into custody earlier this week for not possessing the relevant papers to travel in the country.
According to a report by the Indian Express, the doctors, of Indian and Pakistani origin, were taken to the Bahraich district jail by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), who said that the duo were only carrying visas to work in Nepal.
Although the Indian-origin doctor had an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, officials said her entry through the border via which she came into India is only permissible to Indian and Nepalese citizens and does not apply to people from other countries.
Who were the doctors?
The British doctors are specialised audiologists with expertise in treating hearing impairments. They arrived in Nepalganj at the invitation of a private hospital to provide their services at an otology camp focused on ear-related medical issues.
While the Indian-origin doctor, 61, hails from Karnataka, the Pakistani-origin doctor is aged 35. Both individuals have British passports.
Why were they arrested?
The two British nationals were detained under Section 14A of the Foreigners Act after a case was filed at the Rupaidiha police station in Bahraich. A senior official explained that despite holding OCI cards, the doctor was arrested because travel across the Rupaidiha-Nepalganj border is only allowed for Indian and Nepali nationals, according to the India-Nepal agreement.
Deputy SP Pradyumna Singh, Circle Officer of Nanpara in Bahraich, stated that during a routine vehicle check on November 15, around 10 am, SSB personnel at the Rupaidiha border post noticed the two British nationals walking into Indian territory.
The SSB team alerted senior officials about the doctors’ presence in India after finding out one of them was of Pakistani origin. An official said that the doctors recorded their statements, saying that they stayed in Nepalganj for a few days after being invited to a medical camp.
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View AllThe duo were also questioned by intelligence officers extensively before being handed over to the Bahraich police. They explained that they had no ill intention to be in India and that they just wanted to explore the market nearby.
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