Nine
French tourists have been ejected from the eastern Indian state of Bihar for their alleged involvement in Maoist activities,
police officials said.
The
group was detained in the remote Nawada region known to be a Maoist stronghold
in the state.
Police
said they had violated visa regulations after they were found to be working
with a group alleged to be a front for Maoist rebels.
The
nine French nationals have not yet commented on the allegations.
A
tourist visa rule specifically prohibits any socio-political activities in the
country.
"The
group has been sent to the eastern city of Calcutta,
from where they will go to the capital New Delhi,"
said SL Das, the superintendent of police in Bihar.
It
is unclear if they will be deported from India, but correspondents say this
is likely.
The
police became suspicious of the French tourists because they were working in
Nawada with Unity Forum, the group alleged to be a Maoist rebel front.
Unity
Forum says it is simply working to protect the land and water rights of the
poor, according to the Associated Press news agency
Maoist
rebels have been described as the country's most serious internal security
threat by India's
prime minister.
The
rebels say they are fighting for the rights of indigenous tribal people and the
rural poor and have a strong presence in large parts of the eastern states of India.
