Sonitpur, Feb 4: Two citizens of the United States of America (USA) were detained in Tezpur, under Assam’s Sonitpur district, on charges of violating tourist visa norms by allegedly being involved in preaching Christianity.
The two USA-based nationals have been identified as John Matthew Boone (64) having passport No. 644539186 and Michael James Flinchum (77) having passport No. 681022887.
U.S. citizens have been accused of secretly attending public meetings dealing with the preaching and promotion of Christianity. They were imposed a US$500 (Rs. 41,486) penalty each for participating in religious activities on tourist visas.
Sonitpur Police sources informed that the duo entered Assam a few days ago after travelling in different parts of India.
The two men attended the inauguration of the North Bank Baptist Christian Association office at the Baptish Mission Complex in Tezpur on January 31.
The Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) in Sonitpur, Madhurima Das, informed that the Kacharigaon police outpost recorded a General Diary case No. 03/2024 against the duo.
She informed that, as per the tourist visa norms, a person touring a foreign land cannot attend any religious preaching or conversation programmes.
It has come to the fore that the duo was allowed to leave after they paid the penalty.
