As security was beefed up in Bodh Gaya in Bihar following a threat to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama allegedly from a Chinese woman, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday called it “a security issue” and refused to comment further on it.
“It looks like a security issue, I don’t have any update on it. I certainly don’t think this is the right forum to talk about security-related aspects,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at the weekly briefing. He said the government has a liaison officer there, but refused to make any further comments on the “security issue”.
A security alert was issued in Bodh Gaya in Bihar on Thursday morning amid a visit of the Dalai Lama, with the police searching for a Chinese woman, an official said.
Security has been beefed up around the Mahabodhi Temple Complex with the screening of devotees being intensified. The Dalai Lama addressed a gathering there in the morning.
Bihar Police detain Chinese woman
Later in the day, Bihar Police detained the Chinese woman at Bodh Gaya for allegedly overstaying in India in connection with the alleged threat, a senior officer said.
Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) J.S. Gangwar told PTI that police traced the woman (Chinese) and she has been detained. “She is being questioned by various agencies. She is being interrogated from all angles, including Visa violation norms”, the ADGP (Hqs) said.
Her questioning is on and we would be able to share details on Friday only, he added.
The police had also issued a sketch of the woman, identified as Song Xiaolan, besides sharing her passport and visa details with the media. The Dalai Lama addressed a gathering at the Mahabodhi Temple Complex on Thursday morning.
