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17 foreign nationals booked for spreading COVID-19

Last Updated 07 April 2020, 14:04 IST

As many as 17 foreigners – 11 Indonesians and six Thai nationals – have been booked by the Tamil Nadu Police for violating their tourist visa norms and “spreading” Covid-19 during their illegal stay in the state.

While the Indonesians have booked in Salem, a case against Thai nationals was registered in Erode. These preachers, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi in the second week of March, came to various parts of Tamil Nadu and had stayed in different places.

10 Malaysian nationals, who had also attended the conference and stayed in Tenkasi district of the state, were prevented from leaving the country on Sunday before they were to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur from Chennai.

Out of 17 who have been booked under various sections of IPC, The Visa Manual 2019, The Foreigner’s Act 1946 and Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, eight have tested positive for Covid-19 and are quarantined.

While five Indonesians who are Covid positive are under isolation at the Salem Government Medical College Hospital, the remaining three Thai nationals are under treatment at IRT Perundurai Medical College in Erode district.

Police in Erode said the case was registered on a complaint filed by Tahsildar (Revenue) Parimaladevi on Monday alleging that the Thai nationals had come to Tamil Nadu by hiding their health history despite knowing that they had the potential to spread Covid-19 infection to other people.

In her complaint, the Tahsildar also said the Thai nationals had even visited homes of several people in Erode thereby putting at risk several lives. Police said the Thai nationals have not been arrested, but still quarantined at the IRT Hospital.

A similar complaint was filed by Salem Town Village Administrative Officer (VAO) Sekar in which he accused the 11 Indonesian nationals of violating their visa conditions. He also complained that seven others, including the travel guide of the Indonesians from Chennai, had flouted all rules by taking these preachers around the city flouting social distance guidelines.

The foreign nationals were booked under sections 269 (spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health) of the IPC, Section 1-25 and 19.8 of The Visa Manual 2019, section 13(1),(2) and 14 of The Foreigner’s Act 1946 and 134, 135 of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939.

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(Published 07 April 2020, 14:04 IST)

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