An Italian national was held at the India-Nepal border in Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh for illegally entering the country, said a senior official.

The official confirmed that the man, identified as 32-year-old Matteo De Rosa, a native of Rome in Italy, was held by patrolling team of Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) while he was trying to enter India without valid documents from the Maharajganj area.

“We have informed the team of intelligence agencies for further investigation into the matter,” stated the official.

After interrogation, he was handed over to the local police for further investigation.

He was staying in Kathmandu in Nepal since 2017. He has visited Nepal eight times between 2017 to 2021. He got his visa extended thrice in Kathmandu. After he failed to get a visa to visit India, he tried to cross the Indo-Nepal border illegally.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against him at Thuthibari police station in Maharajgani under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC). (ANI)