Chinese National Held in Kashmir; Security Agencies Begin Questioning

Srinagar : A Chinese national is currently under detention at Police Post Humhama in central Kashmir’s Budgam district for questioning in connection with alleged violations of visa norms and suspicious movement across sensitive regions, sources said on Sunday.

Security agencies were first alerted after the Army intercepted unusual internet chatter, which led to heightened surveillance and eventual detention of the foreign national, identified as Hu Congtai (29), a Chinese citizen holding passport number EL7239333.

According to officials, Hu arrived in New Delhi on November 19, 2025, on a tourist visa that permitted him to visit only selected Buddhist religious destinations, including Varanasi, Agra, New Delhi, Jaipur, Sarnath, Gaya and Kushinagar. However, leveraging his resemblance to local residents, he allegedly managed to board a flight to Leh on November 20 without registering at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) counter located at Leh airport, officials said.

He subsequently stayed in Zanskar for three days, arriving there on November 25, during which he put up at Dolma Homestay and visited various monasteries and important places in the Himalayan region. Police Station Padam, Zangla, Zanskar, later contacted him telephonically and directed him to leave the area after it was found that his visa was not valid for the Union Territory of Ladakh, sources told Kashmir Dot Com.

Acting on these directions, Hu left Zanskar on November 29 and during his onward movement stayed in Friends Colony, Budgam, which came under police radar. He later reached Srinagar on December 1, where he reportedly stayed in an unregistered guest house, sources said.

While in Srinagar, Hu visited several sensitive and high-profile locations, including Shankaracharya hills, Hazratbal shrine, Mughal Gardens along the Dal Lake, and a Buddhist religious site at Harwan, an area where a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was killed in an encounter last year. Officials said that data extracted from his mobile phone also revealed that he visited the Awantipura ruins in south Kashmir, located close to the Victor Force headquarters of the Army.

An examination of his mobile phone history revealed that he had conducted internet searches related to the deployment of CRPF in the Valley and also searched for material related to Article 370, which was abrogated in August 2019 to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Officials further said that he had procured an Indian SIM card from the open market.

His visa, issued on October 31, 2025, and valid till December 30, 2025, does not permit travel to prohibited, restricted or cantonment areas, including Ladakh and other sensitive regions, sources added.

Following the security inputs, Budgam Police took cognizance of the matter and brought him to Police Post Humhama, where he is currently being questioned by multiple security and intelligence agencies to ascertain the exact purpose of his travel and possible violations of immigration and national security regulations.

Hu has completed his graduation in Physics from Boston University and has claimed that he is a travel enthusiast. His passport shows travel history to several countries, including the United States, New Zealand, Brazil, Fiji and Hong Kong.

A top police officer confirmed the detention and told that relevant agencies are questioning him and further investigation is underway. Officials added that he has clearly violated visa regulations and is likely to be deported to his country after completion of the legal process. (KDC)