US urges citizens to exercise 'increased caution' while travelling to India

The US has issued an advisory for its citizens travelling to India, urging increased caution due to crime and rape, and advising them not to travel to certain parts of central and eastern parts of the country due to terrorism.

The travel advisory issued last week states that rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India and violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations.

It added that terrorists, who target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls and government facilities, may attack with little or no warning.

The advisory issued on June 16 further adds that the US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to its citizens in rural areas, which stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal.

The advisory also tells US citizens not to travel to parts of Central and East India due to terrorism.

Maoist extremist groups, or Naxalites, are active in a large area of India that spans from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal, the advisory said.

Attacks against officers of the Indian government continue to occur sporadically in the rural parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand that border with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. Southwest areas of Odisha are also affected, it added.

US government employees working in India are required to obtain permission prior to travel to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Odisha. It said permission is not required for the capital of these states.

US government employees working in India also need approval to travel to the eastern region of Maharashtra and the eastern region of Madhya Pradesh, it said.

US citizens have also been advised against travelling to Manipur. Ongoing ethnic-based conflict has resulted in reports of extensive violence and community displacement, it said, adding that the US government employees working in India require prior approval before visiting Manipur.

It also advised its citizens not to travel to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, except for visits to the eastern Ladakh region and Leh, due to terrorism and civil unrest.