PATNA: A Chinese woman suspected of spying on Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama was finally traced and detained by police in Bihar's Bodh Gaya town on Thursday, a day after an alert was sounded by intelligence agencies against her.
Highly placed sources in state police headquarters in Patna said that efforts were on to deport back the woman in question to China after completing legal formalities. “She is being interrogated by senior officials of different intelligence agencies,” a senior police officer said.
Additional director general (headquarters) Jitendra Singh Gangwar confirmed the detention of the Chinese national for questioning. “She is under police custody and being quizzed by officials of state and central agencies,” he told the media.
Sources said the alleged spy identified as Sang Xiaolan, was spotted near Kaal Chakra maidan at Bodh Gaya during religious sermons delivered by Dalai Lama. IG, Magadh range, M R Naik said the details about the suspect were being gathered.
A senior police officer, who was present during interrogation, said that the interrogators sought to know from Xiaolan about her whereabouts and places she visited during her stay in the state. “She was moving from one place to another as a devotee,” the officer said requesting anonymity.
Earlier Gaya police had released sketches of the suspect and sounded an alert. The security around Dalai Lama was also beefed up following intelligence inputs that a Chinese woman suspected of spying the spiritual leader has gone traceless.
“The passport and visa of the suspect are being verified,” another police officer said, adding that the Chinese woman was staying in Gaya for about one year. He said the state police heaved a sigh of relief after her detention.
Meanwhile, screening of devotees at Kaal Chakra maidan where the Tibetan spiritual leader will deliver religious sermons has been intensified as a precautionary measure.