Another foreign national has been detained in the region near the India-Myanmar border. A 58-year-old Slovak citizen was arrested by the Assam Rifles on 24th March in the state of Mizoram after he attempted to enter Myanmar without permission. He has now been handed over to the police.
A 58-year old citizen of the Slovak Republic was detained by the Assam Rifles along the Mizoram border on March 24 when he was allegedly trying to cross over to Myanmar to meet a friend, a government official said.
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Officials said the man currently lives in Thailand and had come to India for the first time. He travelled from Bangkok to Kolkata, then flew to Aizawl, and later took a taxi to reach the Lungpuk village in southern Mizoram, which is close to the border.
While being questioned by authorities, he stated that he was going to meet his friend from Myanmar, who he met years ago when he was working in a resort in Thailand. He planned to enter Myanmar on foot and then proceed to Ramree Island in Rakhine State to attend the Thingyan Festival, which starts on 13th of April.
The DGP of Mizoram Police, Sharad Agarwal, stated that he has not arrested the man but is checking his background. He also stated that he did not have a Protected Area Permit (PAP), which is now mandatory for foreign nationals in Mizoram.
The permit rules were tightened after the Ministry of Home Affairs withdrew earlier relaxations in December 2024 due to security concerns in the border states. India has a long, unfenced border with Myanmar.
Authorities said nothing suspicious was found with the Slovak national, and he may be deported after the investigation is over.
Earlier case involving Matthew VanDyke
The incident has occurred just after a major operation carried out by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), where an American citizen, Matthew VanDyke, and six Ukrainian nationals were arrested earlier this month.
The investigators claimed that the group entered India on tourist visas and were involved in transporting drones from Europe via India and training armed groups in the Myanmar border near Mizoram. The arrests were carried out at various locations, including Kolkata and Delhi airports.
The officials claimed that such incidents point to increasing security concerns in the Northeast, especially as routes between the borders are being used for activities involving weapons and training.
