Mizoram: Jailed for 3 years, mentally challenged Vietnamese man finds refuge in destitute home

Aizawl: A mentally challenged Vietnamese man, who was incarcerated in Serchhip district jail in central Mizoram, was sent to a destitute home on Monday after spending more than 3 years in jail.

Dahn Niang was finally released from Serchhip jail after spending an additional 18 months in prison with the initiative of the Centre for Environment and Social Justice led by well-known social activist Vanramchhuangi.

He was relocated to the Thutak Nunpuitute Team (TNT) centre at Zuangtui locality on the northern outskirts of Aizawl on Monday, Vanramchhuangi said. 

The TNT Centre serves as both a rehabilitation facility and a home for orphans and individuals facing mental health challenges.

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Vanramchhuangi said that she will be acting as Dahn Niang's local guardian until he is sent back to his native country.

Niang set foot in Mizoram in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic without any documentation. 

He was first seen in the state on March 28 when he wandered into Thekte, a village in Champhai district bordering Myanmar, but was denied entry by village authorities.

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After moving around places in the Champhai and Serchhip districts, he finally ventured into East Lungdar village in the Serchhip district where he was provided with food and shelter.

As he spoke a different language, nobody knew which country he was from. So, some villagers hit upon the idea of showing him the flags of countries. He gestured he was from Vietnam when he was shown the flag of his country.

Niang was subsequently handed over to the Serchhip police, who formally arrested him and charged him under the Foreigners Act. 

This offence carried a two-year imprisonment term and a Rs 2000 fine. 

Unable to pay the fine, he found himself compelled to serve an additional two months.

While he completed his prison term on June 4, 2022, he remained in jail for an additional 18 months as authorities grappled with challenges in extraditing him.