Myanmar national living illegally in India caught at Mumbai Airport

New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) A Myanmar national, who had been living illegally in India under a false identity, was arrested at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai.

The man was apprehended during immigration checks when officers became suspicious of his inability to speak or understand Hindi.

According to Sahar Police Station, Maharashtra, the individual had been residing in Delhi under the false name, Boitlunga Saimon and had even acquired an Indian passport.

The accused's documents showed that he was born in Aizawl, Mizoram.

However, during routine questioning before boarding a flight to Malaysia, immigration officials noticed several discrepancies in his responses.

Despite claiming to be from Mizoram, he failed to provide even basic information about the state. More importantly, his complete lack of comprehension of Hindi and reliance solely on English aroused further suspicion.

After extended interrogation, the man confessed that his real name is U Thang Soe Lyan, a 34-year-old citizen of Myanmar.

The accused admitted that he fled Myanmar in 2019 amid political unrest and military crackdowns following anti-government protests.

Facing an arrest warrant in his home country, the accused illegally crossed the border into India through Mizoram and eventually settled in Delhi.

In Delhi, the accused said that he came into contact with a passport agent named Talib, who allegedly helped him obtain fake Indian documents, including a passport, allowing him to travel internationally.

Authorities are now investigating the network that facilitated his illegal stay and forged documentation.

The accused is currently in police custody, and further legal action is being pursued under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act.

Earlier on Sunday, Assam Police arrested four Afghan nationals from Guwahati's Hatigaon area for residing in the country without valid documentation.

According to a senior police official, the arrested individuals had been living in Assam since 2015 without any legal authorisation.

--IANS

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