Tamil Nadu Police Book 11 Indonesia Tablighi Jamaat Preachers For Various Violations; State Coronavirus Tally Rises To 738

Tamil Nadu Police have registered cases against 11 Indonesian Tablighi Jamaat preachers in Salem for various violations, including the Foreigners Act, when there was a danger of the pandemic Coronavirus (Covid-19) spreading in the country.

Deccan Chronicle reported that seven others - one of their helpers from Chennai, four Salem guides and two mosque administrators - have also been booked for various violations when an emergency to control the pandemic had come into force.

The violations charged against them come under the Foreigners Act, National Disaster Management Act, Public Health Act, and the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act.

The police filed a case on a complaint from the Salem town village administrative officer at the Kitchipalayam police station.

Four of the 11 Indonesian Tabligh Jamaat preachers and their helper from Chennai had tested positive for Coronavirus on 25 March. All the 11 besides the seven others are now in isolation wards at the Government-run Rajaji Hospital in Salem.

The Tablighi Islamic preachers from Indonesians had visited three to four mosques in Salem city and participated in religious congregations after then came to the Steel City from Chennai on 11 March.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh today (8 March) said that 48 more persons had tested positive for Covid-19 in the State.

Of the 48 Covid-19 cases, 43 have been traced to the Tablighi Jamaat Aalami Markaz Nizamuddin congregations in Delhi last month.

With this, 738 persons have tested positive for Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu. Of these, 679 cases have been traced to the Tablighi Jamaat congregations. Eight persons have succumbed to the pandemic, while 21 have recovered.