Hotels directed to submit details of foreign occupants

The city police has warned owners of paying guest, hotels, yoga centres and lodges of legal action if they fail to provide details of foreign occupants and students to the police before December 21.

During a workshop organised at Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Institute for Management (SDM IMD) here, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) N Vishnuvardhana said that the police department has asked owners of these establishments to submit details of the occupants for reasons pertaining to internal safety.

The DCP said that according to the National Information Center (NIC), many foreigners visit the country on a 180 days visa but police will not have sufficient information about them and their activities. It is necessary to keep a close watch on foreign visitors owing to internal security, he said.

He urged the authorities concerned to submit the required details about foreigners and the occupants once in a month either with the local police station or at the Police Commissioner's office.

Explaining about legal action, Vishnuvardhana said that there is a provision to book the violators under the Foreigners Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 176. If the offence is proved then the culprits would have to serve imprisonment for a term which may extend from six months to five years.