Flyer from Kazakhstan who went missing from Delhi airport traced to Ghaziabad, quarantined

NEW DELHI: A 72-year-old passenger, who landed in Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport from Kazakhstan, skipped the Covid screening and went straight to his daughter's residence in Indirapuram to avoid quarantine.

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), foreign returnees have to stay under a 14-day institutional quarantine.

The incident took place on the intervening night of June 27-28. The septuagenarian has been identified as Harjeet Singh, a resident of Dilshad Garden, Delhi.

"We received information from Yamuna Vihar sub-divisional magistrate's (SDM) staff that a person traveled in AI1916 ALMATY (Kazakhstan)- DELHI on Saturday is missing from the screening hall at Terminal 3 of IGI airport," said a police official.

He deliberately missed out from the screening procedure followed by institutional quarantine as per the MHA guidelines, said the Police.

Besides, Singh also fooled the authorities at the airport by giving them the wrong address and mobile number.

"During the course of investigation, we found that the mobile number and address given by passenger on arrival was fake. The cops then conducted an extensive search to trace Singh," said the Police official.

Search teams were formed and dispatched. The CCTV footage was checked at length. The vehicle, in which he left the airport, was identified. As per the registration number and electronic surveillance, the passenger was traced, said, officials.

He was traced at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad and was home-quarantined for 14 days by the authorities. An FIR was filed against him at IGI Airport Police Station for violating the rules under the Epidemic Act at IGI airport PS. Once his quarantine period is over, action will be taken against him, added police official.