US man arrested on India-Nepal border without documents

Jordan Brown, a 36-year-old US national from California, was arrested on July 11, 2026, by the SSB and Sonauli police while attempting to cross into Nepal through an unauthorised route in Maharajganj district.

Brown claimed he had met a Nepali national in Goa and was travelling to meet him, but could not provide the man's full name, address, or contact details.

He said his passport was left with an acquaintance in Bengaluru but failed to provide the person's complete identity or contact information.

Investigators are reconstructing his journey across India and examining his digital footprint to determine his purpose of travel.

Brown arrived in India from Bali eight weeks ago, spent six weeks in Goa, and claimed to have visited nearly 70 countries.