PC refuses to comment on arrest of Taiwanese men in HP

Home Minister P Chidamabaram on Wednesday said the exact motive of the eight Taiwanese men, who had been arrested in Himachal Pradesh, was yet to be ascertained.

"It is too early to give any official version. It is too early to come to a conclusion. Reports are yet to come, wait till tomorrow morning. Don't rush to any judgments till tomorrow," Chidamabaram told reporters.

Chidambaram sought to advise restraint on the issue and refused to make any comment on those arrested on the basis of preliminary reports.

When questioned on the motives of the eight arrested, who are said to be Taiwanese, and whether they were conspiring against Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, Chidamabaram said, "Wait till tomorrow for the report. I can't comment yet. We are trying to get a report, suspend any judgment till tomorrow."

The Himachal police had arrested eight foreign nationals on charges of overstaying after raiding a fortified monastery in Mandi district. The police claimed to have recovered Rs 30 lakh, $ 3,000 and SIM cards from them.

Government sources later said the eight were Taiwanese nationals and will be deported.

Meanwhile, some foreign nationals are said to have escaped before the raids, which were carried out on Tuesday night in Chauntra village in Mandi, 150 km from state capital Shimla, following inputs by central intelligence agencies.

Besides currency, police also recovered mobile phones suspected to have Chinese SIM cards and international ATM cards.

The raids came within days of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama saying he had received reports from Tibet warning him that Chinese agents had trained Tibetan women for a mission to poison him while posing as devotees seeking his blessings.