57 foreigners related to Jamaat arrested in Bihar, test negative for COVID-19

The Bihar Police have arrested as many as 57 foreigners associated with the Tablighi Jamaat from different parts of the state for violating visa norms. All 57 however, have tested negative for COVID-19.

Patna (Bihar):The Bihar government seems to have tightened the grip over those who attended the congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz, as 57 foreigners of different countries were arrested in Patna, Buxar, Kishanganj and Araria for violating visa rules.

According to the police, all the arrested were associated with Tablighi Jamaat.

18 have been arrested from Araria while 17 from Patna and 11 each from Kishanganj and Buxar. All of them were tested of coronavirus but they tested negative.

Kishanganj Superintendent of Police Kumar Ashish said 10 Indonesia and one Malaysian were arrested from near the Khanka Mosque a few days ago. They were tested of coronavirus however, they tested negative but still we kept then in quarantine in the Mosque itself. FIR has been lodged against them and all of them were arrested on Tuesday, after their quarantine period was over, for violating visa rules.

Similarly, seven Indonesian and four Malaysian from Naya Bhojpur in Buxar district.

Buxar Superintendent of Police Upendranath Verma said these foreign tourists had come to India on tourist visas and were preaching religion. They also participated in the congregation organised by Tablighi Jammat.

Read:SC refuses to caution media on alleged communal coverage of Tablighi gathering

After being caught from a Mosque in Bhojpur area in March, all of them were sent to a quarantine centre. After the quarantine period got over, a FIR was lodged against them and they were sent to jail after being produced in the court.

18 foreigners, nine Malayasian and nine Bangladeshi, were arrested from Araria also for violating visa rules. Of 18, nine were staying at Jama Masjid in Araraia while nine were at Revahi Mosque in Narpatganj.

Earlier, on March 23 a FIR was registered against 17 foreigners for violating visa rules.

Among the foreigners sent to jail, nine are from Kyrgyzstan, seven from Malaysia and one from Kazakhstan.

Senior Superintendent of Patna Police Upendra Kumar Sharma, said, "FIRs against seven have been registed in Fulwari Shareef and against 10 in Digha for violating visa rules. All the accused came on tourist visa but were promoting religious congregation."

Police sources said, all of them were associated with the Tablighi Jammat and the police is investigating the case.

(IANS Report)