Two US citizens of Chinese descent were turned back at the Rangpo checkpost on March 9 after authorities discovered they had entered Sikkim without the required clearances.
Interestingly, this is not the first time the two US nationals were turned back. They were first turned away from the Rangpo checkpost on February 14 after the two women failed to provide the necessary ministry clearance. They subsequently travelled to Kalimpong in West Bengal and later re-entered Sikkim on February 20, bypassing the Rangpo checkpost.
Later, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Sikkim discovered that the women were staying with a relative, a teacher at Rumtek monastery. Sources mentioned that the women were seen attending the Tibetan Losar festival at the monastery.
Authorities stated that their actions were a deliberate violation of the law, carried out in coordination with a relative residing in Rumtek.
Rumtek monastery is the seat of the Gyalwa Karmapa, with Ogyen Trinley Dorji being one of the claimants to the Karmapa title. However, Ogyen Trinley Dorji has obtained citizenship of Dominica, a Caribbean island. He has been outside India since May 2017, and the Indian government has imposed travel restrictions on him.
Reportedly, the two US nationals not only lacked prior clearance from the Union home ministry but also failed to obtain a Restricted Area Permit before entering Sikkim. Foreign nationals of Chinese origin fall under the Prior Reference Category, meaning they must secure prior approval from the Union home ministry before applying for a Restricted Area Permit (RAP).
