Panaji, March 19 (IANS) Forty-three foreigners, including 13 Nigerians and 10 Russians, have been arrested for overstaying in Goa, while seven Nigerians have disappeared since the last one year, a minister told the state assembly.

"Forty-three foreign nationals were arrested as they were found staying in Goa beyond the expiry of their visa during the period from January 2010 to February 2011," Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik said Friday in a written reply to a question from Congress legislator Pratap Gawas.

Nearly all the foreigners - Nigerians, Russians, Italians, Latvians, Germans, Israelis among other nationalities - were arrested from places along Goa's tourism oriented coastal areas like Anjuna, Calangute, Arambol, which are home to popular beaches.

While 12 foreigners have already been booked (under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act), convicted and deported by the Indian authorities, the home minister's reply also states that seven Nigerians have slipped out of the police radar and are at large with their "whereabouts not known".

Interestingly, all the Nigerian nationals who have escaped had entered India on business visas.

Favour Uchechuhwu Nworah, Mozie Chinenyeike Prosper, Joseph Nwoye Eugene, Gabriel Igbd, Gebriel Emmanuel, Chinwuko Okechukwu, Ikechukwu Otuata were all issued four month business visas and entered India via Lagos in Nigeria.

Goa, a popular beach tourism destination, attracts nearly half a million foreign tourists annually.