‘Rapes, terrorism’: US warns ‘DO NOT’ travel to Manipur, J&K and Naxalite areas in India

Revising its travel advisory to include the northeastern states in India, the United States has asked its nationals to not travel to Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, the India-Pakistan border, and areas in the country where Naxalites are active. In its advisory, the State Department has mentioned that “rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India, sexual assault at tourist sites and terrorist attacks with little or no warning” to discourage travel to the country.

"Exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk,” the US State Department has said. The US nationals have also been advised to reconsider travel to the northeastern states due to terrorism and violence.

The State Department said, “Do not travel to: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir [except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh] due to terrorism and civil unrest; within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict; portions of Central and East India due to terrorism and Manipur due to violence and crime.”

"Indian authorities report that rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crime, such as sexual assault, has happened at tourist sites and other locations. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and government facilities,” the travel advisory said.

While India has been placed at Level 2 for travel but the rating of many parts of the country such as Jammu and Kashmir, India-Pakistan border, Manipur, central parts of Central and East India, have been revised to Level 4.

On Manipur, which has been placed by the US State Department at “Level 4: Do Not Travel,” the State Department said: “Do not travel to Manipur due to the threat of violence and crime. Ongoing ethnic-based civil conflict has resulted in reports of extensive violence and community displacement. Attacks against Indian government targets occur on a regular basis. US government employees traveling in India require prior approval before visiting Manipur.”

For other northeastern states, the advisory said, “Ethnic insurgent groups occasionally commit acts of violence in parts of the northeast. These incidents include bombings of buses, trains, rail lines, and markets. There have been no recent reports of violence in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, or Tripura.”

Similarly, terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. "Do not travel to this state (with the exception of visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh). Violence happens sporadically in this area and is common along the Line of Control (LOC) between India and Pakistan. It also occurs in tourist spots in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam. The Indian government does not allow foreign tourists to visit certain areas along the LOC,” it said.

"India and Pakistan have a strong military presence on both sides of the border. The only official border crossing for non-citizens of India or Pakistan is in Punjab. It is between Attari, India, and Wagah, Pakistan. The border crossing is usually open, but check its current status before you travel,” it said.

Naxal attacks have been reported in the rural parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand that border Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.

The government officials of the US have been asked to obtain permission before their travel to “most areas” in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, and Odisha. However, the employees can visit the capital cities of these states.

(With PTI inputs)