Prominent businessman booked for leaving Jammu's 'Red Zone' for Srinagar residence

A prominent businessman was on Friday booked after he left a locality here marked as a 'Red Zone' of coronavirus cases for Srinagar in violation of prohibitory orders during the countrywide lockdown, officials said.

A case was registered against Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya who was staying at Bathindi in the outskirts of the city, the officials said. This area has witnessed the maximum number of positive coronavirus cases in Jammu.

Bathindi along with over a dozen other localities in Jammu region were declared 'Red Zones' after many cases of COVID-19 were reported from there and strict restrictions were imposed on the inward and outward movement of residents.

"Chaya, a resident of Zakoora locality of Srinagar, deliberately left for Srinagar along with other persons in his private vehicle from the 'Red Zone' Bathini and reached his residence," an official said.

Taking strong notice of the incident, he said a case under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code and section three of the Epidemic Diseases Act has been registered against the businessman at Trikuta Nagar police station.

As the businessman reached his Srinagar residence, the official said a medical team was deputed for his immediate screening and of those who travelled with him.

"They will be sent to quarantine if needed," the official said.

As of now, occupants of the house have been put in quarantine and no one will be allowed to either go out or get in until the family clears the mandatory quarantine period, the officials said.

Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a total of 328 cases of coronavirus, of whom five persons four in the Kashmir valley and one in Udhampur district of Jammu region have died.