US citizen detained at Indo-Nepal border after allegedly entering India without valid documents

Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh: A man identifying himself as a United States citizen has been detained after allegedly attempting to cross into Nepal through the Indo-Nepal border without carrying a passport or any valid travel documents. The incident has triggered a multi-agency investigation into how he entered India and the circumstances surrounding his movements over the past several months.

The man, identified as Jordan Brown (36), was intercepted by personnel of the 22nd Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) during routine border surveillance near Border Pillar No. 516 in the Mainihwa area under the Sonauli police station limits in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district.

According to security officials, Brown had travelled from Bengaluru to the Sonauli border and allegedly attempted to cross into Nepal without the mandatory travel documents. When SSB personnel stopped him for verification, he reportedly tried to run away. He was later caught after local villagers helped stop him and handed him over to security personnel.

During the search, officials recovered Rs 31,460 in cash and two mobile phones from his possession. However, he could not produce a passport, visa or any other document authorising his international travel, prompting authorities to detain him for questioning.

Additional Superintendent of Police Siddharth said Brown identified himself as a resident of California, USA, during interrogation. He claimed that he had travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa, where he allegedly lost his passport.

According to the account provided by Brown, he later travelled to Sri Lanka by sea before entering India through an unauthorised maritime route on November 2, 2025. He further told investigators that he had been staying in Goa since arriving in India and was now attempting to enter Nepal through the Sonauli border.

Police said every aspect of his statement, including his identity, nationality, travel history and the route he claimed to have taken, is being independently verified.

SSB Assistant Commandant Priya Yadav said the man was questioned jointly by the SSB and other security agencies before being handed over to the Sonauli police for legal proceedings.

With agency inputs