KOCHI: The Norwegian woman tourist, who was asked to leave the country for violating tourist visa norms by participating in an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest here last Monday, left Kochi airport for Sharjah at 7.25 pm on Friday. The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) had on Friday morning asked Janne-Mette Johansson, 71, to leave India after she was found to have flouted tourist visa rules.
According to intelligence officers, the woman was actively interacting with a few activists after the protests against the CAA began in the country. In fact, it was one of her Facebook posts which prompted the intelligence department to collect her details. Officials with FRRO said Johansson was briefed about the visa rule violation and she agreed to leave the country on her own.
“People coming on tourist visas are not allowed to participate in any protest, speak in public forums or do any business in the country. She agreed to leave when we raised the issue with her,” said an officer. She was issued a tourist visa on September 23, 2019 with a validity till March 22, 2020.
‘Only briefed her about the offence she committed’
Asked whether she was taken into custody for questioning, an officer dismissed it as rumour. “We only briefed her about the offence she had committed,” said the officer.
In her Facebook post last Monday, Johansson wrote: “This afternoon I participated in a protest march: People’s Long March. It started from Gandhi Circle Ernakulam and we marched with slogans and flags to Vasco da Gama Square Cochin, while the protesters were singing and chanting. During this 12km, there were two places where we got water with salt and sugar, we also had orange juice. No riots, just people determined.. lifting up their voices, saying what has to be said. The police helpful during this protest march,” the post read.
FROM SCANDINAVIA TO INDIA, WITH LOVE
Janne-Mette Johansson had reached India on September 15 on a six-month tourist visa
The Norwegian has been a frequent traveller to India for more than five years and has widely toured the countryShe had planned to travel to New Delhi this week, but following the directives of the Foreigner Regional Registration Office, left the country on Friday night
8states the 71-year-old visited during her latest trip to India