Erode: The Erode district police on Thursday arrested six persons from Thailand in a government hospital, for allegedly violating the 'tourist visa rules' and for engaging in religious activities in the district in the wake of the restrictions imposed to stop spread of Covid-19 new coronavirus.
The six foreigners from Thailand, all Islamic clerics, had reached Kollampalayam Pallivasal in Erode on March 11 and had since been visiting various Mosques in the district for expounding the Koran.
On March 16 they were screened for suspected symptoms of coronavirus and admitted to the IRT Medical college hospital in Perundurai near Erode.
During tests, three of the Thais were found positive for the coronavirus and all six continue to be under treatment in the hospital.
Meanwhile, police booked cases against the six Thailand nationals, for among others, violating Tourist Visa rules and under certain sections of the IPC and other Laws, for mixing with others in their religious activities even though, having corona symptoms, they knew the disease was contagious.
The Soorampatti police station inspector handling this case arrrested all six of them through video conference as they were in the government hospital.
Later, again through video conference, the six arrested were produced before the Erode district Judicial Magistrate-III, Dr Saryanya, who remanded all the accused to police custody till April 23, though the Magistrate allowed them to continue to take treatment in the hospital.
