Uttarakhand govt imposes curfew after residents resist attempt to quarantine imam

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday ordered imposition of a curfew in Banbhulpura area of Haldwani, a day after people gathered on a street to stop health department officials from quarantining the imam of a local mosque.

Taking a serious view of the incident, Rawat ordered the chief secretary and the secretary (home) to impose a curfew in the area, according to an official statement. People had come out on the street in Banbhulpura area on Sunday when health officials were trying to quarantine the imam of a local mosque who had come in contact with members of the Tablighi Jamaat, Nainital SSP Sunil Kumar Meena said.

However, the matter was resolved with the intervention of police, the imam himself and the ulemas, he said. The imam has been quarantined at the mosque. A number of Jamaat members have tested positive for coronavirus after they attended a religious congregation in Delhi last month or after they came in contact with those who attended it.