Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered an FIR against a person of Tablighi Jamaat for allegedly concealing travel history, even as a hunt has been launched to trace other people.
This is for the first time since the outbreak of COVID19 inKashmir that an FIR was registered against a person accused of concealingtravel history. The FIR has been filed at Police Station Bandipora vide number29/2020 dated April 1.
The man has been put in quarantine. He had returned afterattending religious gatherings in New Delhi and at some other places, policesaid.
The man, police said, can be imprisoned for up to two yearsunder Indian Penal Code (IPC) after his quarantine period is over.
The case has been registered under section 188 IPC(violation of order promulgated by the government, which is a cognizable butbailable offence); section 269 (negligently doing any act known to be likely tospread infection of any disease dangerous to life) and section 271 (knowinglydisobeying any quarantine rule).
“The man can be booked for up to two years with fine, undersection 270 for malignantly doing any act known to be likely to spreadinfection of any disease dangerous to life,” police said.
“This is first FIR (of this nature) and we have activatedthe network to trace others,” Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumartold Greater Kashmir. “Nobody will be allowed to conceal travel history as itwill have impact on Kashmir population,” he said.
However, the IGP Kashmir added: “Still if they report toauthorities, we won’t take action and in case they conceal then there will beno compromise.”
Last Tuesday, J&K High Court had taken serious note ofsome persons concealing their travel history and directed the administration totake necessary action against them.
Meanwhile the authorities have decided to impose curfew likerestrictions across the valley on Friday. “We have been doing it, and on Fridayit will be stricter,” the IGP Kashmir said, adding that people were cooperatingand “we appeal them for more cooperation.”
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir , PK Pole, told GreaterKashmir that to break the chain, there will be no compromise on restrictionstill April 14. “After that we will review (the situation),” he said andappealed to the people to avoid large gatherings.
Officials said on Thursday the restrictions on the movementand assembly of people were tightened across the valley in wake of COVID19outbreak. “The roads across the valley remained sealed and barriers wereerected by the joint contingents of police and paramilitary forces to check themovement of people,” they said.
Since morning, the police vehicles fitted with publicaddress systems were making rounds of the residential areas in the city andelsewhere announcing that “restrictions under section 144 CrPC were imposed”.