No ID documents; Russian woman remanded in Punalur

Thiruvananthapuram: A Russian national was arrested in Punalur for staying at a lodge without valid identity or travel documents and has been remanded in judicial custody.

The woman, identified as Ilya Bilova, was taken into custody after the lodge owner alerted police about a foreign guest who had checked in without furnishing proper documents. The lodge is located near Punalur railway station.

According to police, she was found in the town on April 10. Acting on the tip-off, the sub-inspector reached the lodge and questioned her. While she disclosed her name and nationality, she refused to provide further details regarding her stay or travel history. Police said she failed to produce a passport, visa or any other identity documents during inspection.

Preliminary inquiry indicated that she had arrived in India via Delhi and travelled to Kerala by train.

"We are in the process of verifying her identity and travel history, including how she entered the country and reached Kerala. Despite repeated questioning, she has not cooperated with the investigation, nor has she provided any supporting documents. She was given an opportunity to contact her country's consulate but declined. Efforts are on to establish her background and ensure compliance with legal procedures," a police officer said.

A case was registered under provisions of Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and an FIR was submitted before the court. She also did not cooperate with biometric data collection.

Legal aid was arranged through court-appointed lawyers.