A 29-year-old Chinese national named Hu Congtai is currently being held and questioned by security agencies in Kashmir for unauthorised travel and alleged visa norm violations. He was detained in the Budgam district near Srinagar.
A graduate in Physics from Boston University, USA, Hu’s Passport shows visits to the US, New Zealand, Brazil, Fiji, and Hong Kong.
Hu arrived in New Delhi on November 19, 2025, on a tourist visa valid until December 30, 2025.
His visa only permitted travel to specific Buddhist religious sites in designated cities (Varanasi, Sarnath, Gaya, Kushinagar, Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi), but he flew to Leh on November 20 without the required registration at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) counter at the airport. Foreigners need special permission to visit sensitive areas like Ladakh and J&K.
He stayed in an unregistered guest house in Srinagar and procured an Indian SIM card from the open market, which is a violation of regulations for foreign tourists
Security agencies were alerted by unusual internet activity chatter intercepted by the army, which led to surveillance. An examination of his mobile phone revealed a concerning search history:
Searches related to the deployment of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the Kashmir Valley.
Searches for material related to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution (which was abrogated in 2019. He visited several sensitive locations, including:
A Buddhist site at Harwan, where an anti-terror operation had occurred the previous year. Awantipur ruins, located near the Indian Army’s Victor Force headquarters. Shankracharya hills, Hazratbal shrine, and Mughal Gardens in Srinagar.
Hu Congtai is currently at the Police Post Humhama in the Budgam district, where he is being questioned by multiple security and intelligence agencies, like the Intelligence Bureau, CID, and Military Intelligence, to determine the exact purpose of his travel and any potential national security implications.
Officials have stated that he violated visa regulations and will likely face deportation to China once the legal process is complete.
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