Itanagar, May 24: A man found loitering at a ferry ghat in Digaru village of Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district was arrested on May 18 on suspicion of being a “Chinese spy”.

Deputy superintendent of police Manik Gogoi today said: “On May 18, around 11.30am, a team from Digaru police outpost was alerted by a local fisherman who had spotted Guan Liang, 28, loitering suspiciously at a ferry ghat in Digaru. We suspect him to be a Chinese spy. Assistant superintendent of police T. Hagging lost no time in rushing to the site. When the police demanded Guan’s passport, the youth claimed his name was Guan Liang from Henan province of China. In fluent English he said he was the manager of a restaurant in Beijing.”

Guan, a graduate, claimed to be well versed in French and also speaks Hindi which he said he learnt from Indian friends who visited his restaurant. He also confessed to having a map of India and some Chinese currency which he destroyed at the time of sneaking into India through the Kibithu area of Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh.

According to the police, Guan “was initially hesitant to reveal the name of his village and gave two different versions. He first said that he had come from a village called Zhuma Dian, but later said he belonged Xiping Quan Zhai village where he initially worked as a waiter. He said he later shifted to Beijing and started working in an American restaurant as a band musician.”

Gogoi said: “He later joined a French-run restaurant in Beijing where he was promoted to manager. He fled the country unable to bear the torture of Chinese police, who raided his house several times after he sent an email to the International Human Rights Commission alleging rights violations.”

The police have filed a case under Section 14 of the Foreigners’ Act against Guan.

“Guan said he wanted to go to Sadiya in Assam from where he had plans to travel to other parts of the country,” Gogoi said.