Manali, December 30
Following reports that David Coleman Headley, the US terror suspect arrested for his complicity in the 26/11 terror attacks, had got in touch with an American and his female companion who run a massage parlour in Manali, the Himachal tourist town has become a focus of attention due to the large number of foreigners visiting the place every year.
Also, several foreigners are involved in business activities, ranging from adventure sports to restaurants, in Kullu-Manali area. Many of these establishments have long been suspected of facilitating drug trafficking, primarily because they are frequented by foreigners. But the links with Headley have opened up the possibility of peaceful Manali playing host to even more deadly plotters.
Notably, it had been confirmed that a woman from Morocco, said to be Headley’s girlfriend, had visited Manali. The woman, Faisa Atula, had stayed at Manali’s ‘Jewish Chabbad’, a congregation centre run by Israelis, in August last. But it is not yet known if the visit was a mere coincidence or had anything to do with the terror attacks three months later -- on Nariman House in Mumbai.
On the business activities of foreigners, Kullu SP KK Indoria said visitors in Manali on tourist visas were not allowed to conduct any business. And an earlier survey had indicated that those engaged in business activities here had valid visas, he said. But after reports by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) of a visit by the Moroccan lady, police has renewed surveillance of foreigners, he said.
Notably, many foreigners run pizza parlours, bakeries, etc, or have got involved in harvesting of organic fruits and herbs. Some of them double up as skiing instructors in the winter. Many of them have even married local women and have taken over legitimate businesses, the SP said.
Also, many of them have been in the business for very long. The pizza parlour run by an Italian couple on the Hidimba Devi Road here is at least 15 years old and is popular among foreigners as well as the well-heeled tourists. Family members of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who owns a house in a nearby village, would make a beeline to the parlour every time they visited Manali.
Then the ‘Lazy Dog’ restaurant in Old Manali is run by a Korean while another Korean lady in Vashish village deals in antiques, Kashmiri handicrafts and organic fruits. Similarly, foreigners are engaged in running a weekend cafe at Shanag and bakeries at Vashisht and Manali.
Travel Association of Manali president Anil Sharma says it would be unfair to brand all foreigners settled in Manali as dubious. But there is certainly need for a greater surveillance to weed out the offenders.
The Kullu SP said police was verifying documents related to foreigners’ marriages, business activities, etc, and of those who overstayed or kept extending their tourist visas.
