6 Thailand nationals booked in TN on charges of violating visa norms

Erode (TN), Apr 7 () Six Thailand nationals, who testedpositive for coronavirus here, have been booked for allegedlyindulging in religious preaching in violation of visa normsand hiding facts regarding their health problems, police said. Cases have been registered against the six, now undergoingtreatment in the isolation ward in nearby Perundurai IRTGovernment Medical College Hospital, under relevant sectionsof Indian Penal Code, they said. The action was taken based on a complaint by localTahsildar lodged with Erode South Police. According to police, the Thai Nationals who possessedtourist visas engaged themselves in Islamic preaching despitesuffering from COVID-19. In all, a group of seven Thailand nationals came here somethree weeks ago, stayed at Kollampalayam Housing Unit complexand engaged themselves in preaching.

A 49-year old man among them died due to kidney ailmentat a government hospital in Coimbatore. The remaining sixtested positive for coronavirus, prompting authorities tolaunch a massive contact tracing of those who had attendedthe preaching sessions and others.

District Collector C Kathiravan on Tuesday said over 1.09lakh people have been kept under home quarantine in thedistrict as a preventive measure. Noting that there was information that several of themwere coming out of their houses and roaming around, he warnedthat such people would be arrested. CORRVS VS