Ten Indonesian Tablighis arrested in Mumbai

Mumbai: Ten Indonesians, including six women- who all are members of the Tablighi Jamaat and had attended the religious meet at the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi in March- have been arrested by the Mumbai Police under various sections of the IPC on completion of their quarantine period, an official said on Monday.

These ten members were part of a group of 12 Tablighis from Indonesia who were staying at an apartment in Bandra (west) since March 29 after they had returned from Delhi, he said.

A large number of COVID-19 cases were attributed to the religious congregation held at the Markaz, as many Tablighis travelled to various parts of the country.

The official said the police came to know about the presence of the Indonesians in Bandra only on April 1.

“We found that they had come to India in two batches on February 29 and March 3, and later visited the Markaz for the event,” he said.

The official said while the foreigners reached Mumbai on March 7, they settled down in the apartment only on March 29, implying that they had been roaming around during the 22 days.

“During their medical examination, two members of the 12-member group tested positive for coronavirus, following which 10 others were placed under quarantine for a period of 20 days. They were arrested on Wednesday (April 22),” he said.

They have been booked under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease that is dangerous to life) and 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and under provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act.

They were produced before the court on April 23, which remanded them in the custody of the Bandra Police, the official added.