Coronavirus: Six Thai nationals held in Tamil Nadu for violating visa norms

Six Thailand nationals, who tested positive for coronavirus and are undergoing treatment at a government hospital near here were arrested for allegedly indulging in religious preaching in violation of visa norms, police said on Friday.

The arrest was effected in the Perundurai IRT Government Medical College hospital on Thursday evening, days after cases were registered against them under relevant sections of IPC. Police personnel were posted outside the isolation ward of the hospital, where the six are undergoing treatment. The action was taken based on a complaint by local Tahsildar lodged with the police.

The Thai Nationals, who possessed tourist visas engaged themselves in Islamic preaching despite suffering from COVID- 19, they said. In all, a group of seven Thailand nationals came here some three weeks ago, stayed at Kollampalayam Housing Unit complex and engaged themselves in preaching. One among them died due to kidney ailment at a government hospital in Coimbatore.

The remaining six tested positive for coronavirus, prompting authorities to launch a massive contact tracing of those who had attended the preaching sessions and others. District Collector, C Kathiravan said 1.66 lakh people in the district have been kept under home quarantine.