Motihari: Security forces apprehended a foreign national near the India-Nepal border in Bihar's Motihari district on Monday.

The African national, identified as Kafi Ali Hasi, claimed to be a student of Nizam College in Hyderabad, which is affiliated with Osmania University.

An official of the Jharokhar police station said that on August 17, they had received information about a suspicious foreign national spotted near the border area. Following this tip-off, Satish Kumar Yadav, the Naka Commander stationed at border pillar number 353, was alerted. Around 6 am on Monday, a foreigner was seen near the bus stand in Baidhnathpur village.

He was detained while attempting to cross the border near the Baidhnathpur Road area under the jurisdiction of Jharokhar police station. Indian currency worth Rs 25,000, a mobile phone, and a microphone were seized from his possession. During the preliminary interrogation, he identified himself as Kafi Ali Hasi and stated that he had been in contact with an individual from Nepal who had allegedly promised to facilitate his return to Somalia via Nepal.

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A security check revealed that the passport in his possession had expired in 2020. When security forces asked for the passport, he showed a photograph of it on his mobile phone and verification confirmed that it was expired. This deepened the suspicions of security agencies, prompting a detailed interrogation.

Officials questioned him about his residency status in India and the reasons for his presence in the border area. During the interrogation, he revealed that he had been living in the Malviya Nagar area of Delhi for around two years.

Given the gravity of the situation, authorities are investigating all aspects of the case, including his documents, the legality of his stay in India, his reasons for reaching the border area, and his plans to travel to Nepal.

Security and surveillance in the border region have been intensified following the foreigner's arrest.