Washington, July 25 (HS). The US has advised its citizens travelling to India to avoid travelling to the India-Pakistan border areas along with Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir and the central and eastern parts of the country. They have also been advised not to travel to Naxal-affected areas.
In the revised travel advisory for India, the US State Department said that more caution should be exercised in India due to crime, terrorism and Naxalism. The risk has increased in some areas. Overall, India has been placed at level two. But many parts of the country have been placed at level four such as Jammu and Kashmir, India-Pakistan border, Manipur and parts of central and eastern India.
The US State Department has said that people should avoid travelling 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 risk of armed conflict, parts of central and eastern India due to Naxalism and insurgency, and Manipur due to violence and crime.
The advisory recommends citizens to reconsider travel to the northeastern states due to terrorism and violence. The travel advisory states that rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India as per reports from Indian authorities. Violent crimes such as sexual assault have occurred at tourist sites and other places. Terrorists can strike at any time. They target tourist sites, transport hubs, markets, shopping malls and government establishments.
The State Department said that the US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in rural areas. These areas extend from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana to western West Bengal. Therefore, US government employees will have to obtain special permission to travel to these areas.