AU professor among 30 held for hiding travel history, violating travel norms

Prayagraj police late on Monday night arrested 30 persons, including a professor of Allahabad University and 16 members of Tablighi Jamat from Indonesia and Thailand, for hiding travel history and violating travel norms during lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Among those arrested are seven from Indonesia, nine from Thailand and one each form Kerala and Bengal. Caretakers of Abdullah mosque in Shahganj and Hera masjid in Kareli have also been arrested, said police officials.

They have been arrested under foreigners act, Epidemic Act and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and will be sent to jail where they will be lodged in separate barracks, police officials said.

Police said that foreigners have been arrested for visa norms violation mainly while all are also charged with failing to adhere to the Epidemic Act by not declaring the fact that they attended the congregation at Markaz.

They also did not come forward for screening against COVID-19.

On March 31, 30 persons, including seven Tablighi Jamat members of Indonesia, one from West Bengal, one from Kolkata and some locals were found staying at Abdullah Masjid near Allahabad Junction. Another nine-member group of Tablighi Jamat from Thailand was traced to Hera Masjid in Kareli area. All of them had visited Nizamuddin ‘Markaz’ and were quarantined at different guest houses of the city.

An FIR was lodged against 17 Jamat members at Shahganj police station and 12 persons at Kareli police station. Some ‘mutawallis’ (caretakers) of mosques were also charged with arranging illegal stay of foreign Jamatis without informing police and the local intelligence unit (LIU).

Later, a professor of Allahabad University was also quarantined and an FIR lodged against him at Shivkuti police station after it was found that he too had returned after attending Nizamuddin ‘Markaz’ but failed to inform officials and even helped Jamatis to stay at Abdullah Masjid.

SSP Satyarth Anirudh Pankaj said 30 persons, including foreign Jamatis and a professor of AU have been arrested under Foreign Act, Epidemic Act and relevant sections of IPC. They will be produced before the court, he added.