Bengaluru, 20 Indonesians and nine more Kyrgyzstani Tablighis were booked in Karnataka for allegedly violating visa rules and involving in religious activity without legal permission, the police said on Wednesday.

"10 Indonesian and 9 Kyrgastan Tablighis were booked under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act for violating visa rules and over staying to carry out religious activities," city's southwest Assistant Commissioner of Police Krishna Kumar told IANS here.

Likewise, 10 more Indonesian Tablighis were booked at Belagavi in the state's northwest region on the same charges.

"The Indonesians are in quarantine at a mosque in the city though they tested negative for coronavirus on return from the Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation held in Delhi's Nizamuddin area last month," Belagavi police inspector P. Gaddekar told IANS over phone.

Belagavi is about 500km northwest of Bengaluru.

Eight Kyrgystan Tablighis were booked at Bidar in the state's northern region on the same charges and have been kept at a mosque under observation after testing negative.

Bidar is about 650km north of Bengaluru.

In Bengaluru, the 19 foreign Tablighis are kept in Haj Bhavan under observation though they have also tested negative.

"The 10 Indonesians and nine Kyrgyzstanis were tested at a designated state-run hospital in the city's eastern suburb and shifted to Haj Bhavan in the city centre, as their test reports were negative. They have been kept in isolation for 14 days since Tuesday," Kumar said.

The Indonesian and Kyrgyzstani Talblighs also visited the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi before returning to Bengaluru. The Indonesians flew to India on tourist visas from Bangkok in early March and over stayed in the country in violation of the visa act.

"The other 10 Indonesians reached Belagavi via Mumbai on way back from Nizamuddin Markaz and are in isolation at a mosque in the city," Gaddekar added.

Investigation is underway to find out where they went and whom they met on return from Delhi though they have tested negative.

As the Kyrgyzstan nationals did not show any Covid-19 symptoms, they were not tested or detained but told to remain in the mosque and not venture out till the investigation is completed," Bidar Superintendent of Police B.L. Nagesh had told IANS on Tuesday.

The police are investigating if the 8 Kyrgyzstanis came to India on a tourist visa or a specific visa to attend religious functions or on missionary work.

Around 25 of the 300 Karnataka Tablighi returnees have tested positive and are under treatment.
A 65-year-old Tablighi returnee died on March 27 while he was under treatment at Sira in Tumakuru district on return from Delhi by train.