London, Nov 03: British authorities are faced with applications from about 2,500 Indian nationals, mostly hailing from Punjab, seeking political asylum in this country, raising concerns over various dimensions of the growing problem and forcing the government to clamp tighter visa regimes and stringent measures which include a two-year prison term for those who destroy their travel documents. "Their applications seeking asylum are pending," a senior British official here told a group of visiting Indian journalists.

The modus operandi in several cases followed a similar pattern. Such persons have a transit halt at Heathrow Airport where they destroy their passports, claim they are persecuted back in India and seek asylum in UK. Luring prospective aspirants with lucrative offers, unscrupulous travel agents from India have also used this route to make money.

In august this year, five of a team of visiting women cricketers went missing, apparently in search of greener pastures. Three have since returned but the whereabouts of the remaining two are still not known. Bureau Report