Muslim vendor forced to shut shop in Haldwani after 5 Jamaatis test positive; FIR filed

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Apr 08, 2020: Six people were booked in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani for asking a fruit vendor from the minority community to shut shop in the wake of five members of Tabhligh Jamaat testing positive for coronavirus disease Covid-19, Hindustan Times reported.

 

The police said that the case was registered after a video of the incident, which took place on Monday, went viral on social media.

“In the video of the incident, six accused identified as Manish Khati, Kamal Negi, Manoj Singh, Harendra Goswami, Rakesh Tapola and Chaman Goswami - all residents of Haldwani - could be seen inquiring about the names of the fruit vendors in the area. And when they come to know about a Muslim vendor hailing from Banbulpura area of the town from where five jamaatis tested positive, they asked him to close his shop and open it only after the pandemic gets over,” said Sanjay Kumar, station house officer of Haldwani Kotwali police station.

The police took suo moto congnizance of the incident and registered a case.

“Based on the complaint, we registered a case against the six accused on charges of violation of the lockdown and malignant act to spread infection of a dangerous disease under Sections 188, 269 and 270 of IPC and 57(B) of Disaster Management Act. No arrests have been made so far,” said Kumar.

There are 31 Covid-19 positive cases in Uttarakhand; out of these, 24 are Jamaatis. Following the significant number of positive cases among Jamaatis, the administration has put restrictions on people’s movement in certain areas of the state, where they are living.