Three Swedish tourists held for violating Foreigners’ Act

The Assam police have detained three Swedish nationals for allegedly misusing their tourist visas to preach among tea plantation workers.

The trio, identified as Hannah Mikaela Bloom, Marcus Arne Henrik Bloom and Susanna Elisabeth Hakannson, were arrested from the Naharkatia area in eastern Assam’s Dibrugarh district on Wednesday. Police said they attended a three-day programme organised by the United Churches Fellowship and Bless Assam Mission Network to convert the local people to Christianity.

“They violated Section 14 of the Foreigners’ Act by delivering lectures at a meeting, which their tourist visas do not allow,” a local police officer said.

Officials said the three were initially arrested but a decision was taken later to deport and not register a case against them. They will be sent to Delhi on Thursday via the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office and then to Sweden.