PANAJI
Goa’s crackdown on foreign visa overstayers has gathered pace, with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO-Goa Police) detaining 59 nationals and another 98 leaving India after being served Leave India notices this year itself.
The latest checks include two Iranians deported on Sunday. During a check at a rented accommodation in Korgao, Pernem, the FRRO official found the couple with expired passports and visas. The two were taken into custody and lodged at a detention centre pending further action.
The enforcement has translated into a steady stream of departures, with 98 foreigners leaving India after being served Leave India notices. A separate set of cases has proceeded to deportation of nationals of several countries. As per official data shared with The Goan, six foreigners were deported in August -- three Russians and one each from Belarus, Tanzania and Bangladesh.
The action has continued into September. Two Russian nationals placed under home restriction have since left India, with the cost of their departure borne by themselves. Sources said that a Nigerian national in detention is expected to be deported next week, while a Ugandan national, also in detention, is likely to follow soon. The expenses in both cases will also be borne by the individuals. The latest enforcement comes amid a growing number of visa violations. At least 10 foreigners were arrested within 10 days last month for allegedly staying in India without valid visas or travel documents. They included nationals of Thailand, Russia, Iran, Uganda, Japan, Austria, Nigeria and Kenya, with some cases involving alleged overstays lasting years.
Over the past 18 months, the FRRO has deported or facilitated the departure of more than 160 foreign nationals, including over 29 Bangladeshi nationals allegedly found overstaying in Goa.
