Chennai: Russian tourist Evgenii Berdnikov (24) was detained by the Mambalam police on Friday, a day after he said that he would continue begging in the city. The police were quite stumped by his response when he told that he sought alms as per Lord Shiva's wish. “I am a devotee of the Lord (Shiva). I wish to travel across the country,” police quoted Evgenii as saying.
Mambalam police found him loitering on Venkata Narayana road on Friday morning and took him to the police station for questioning. He told police that he wishes to study about the monuments in the country. “He claimed that he is in T. Nagar to meet his friend, Ankit, a customs department official, a senior police officer said, adding, “We would be contacting Ankit to verify if the foreigner’s claims are true.”
Police sources said that the customs officer met the Russian only on Thursday at a Gurudwara in T Nagar. Since he had valid travel documents, police let him off. His visa expires on November 22. Russian consulate in Chennai had earlier told that he had not contacted them and that they will assist him in a proper way if he contacts them. He was ‘rescued’ by the police and sent to Chennai after he sought alms at a Kancheepuram temple on Tuesday. He told DC on Wednesday that he would continue begging and the purpose of his visit has been just to travel.
