Woman Travels Over 1 Month By Road From China, Enters Manipur, Arrested

Coronavirus: Sources said the girl entered Manipur via Myanmar border after coming from China

A 23-year-old woman from Manipur who recently returned from China has been arrested for entering the country illegally via Myanmar, police sources in state capital Imphal said. She has been tested negative for COVID-19, caused by a novel coronavirus that was first detected in China in December. A novel virus is one that has not been previously identified in humans.

Her family members have also been charged for helping her to enter the state illegally, the sources said.

The girl, a resident of Churachandpur near the famous Loktak Lake, 63 km from Imphal, started a journey by road from China on February 28 and reached Manipur via Myanmar on April 6 after traveling for more than a month.

The girl tried to enter Manipur from the international check-post at the border town of Moreh. On finding the gate closed amid the national lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic, she entered Manipur via Churachandpur district, the police sources said.

They said the police are investigating how exactly she went by road to Myanmar from China before entering India.

The girl and her family have been quarantined for 14 days, the sources said.

Last month, the Manipur government shut all crossing points with Myanmar and stopped movement of people across the international border.