"his passport was seized by the local police"
A British man allegedly breached India’s strict lockdown rules and has subsequently been detained in the country.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) confirmed that it is aware of the detention of Sohail Hughes.
A petition has been launched to have him freed. According to the petition, Indian officials allegedly detained him unfairly after the country enacted a lockdown with just four hours to go, leaving many visitors with nowhere to go.
It is claimed that Mr Hughes took refuge in a mosque in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, after laws were implemented, telling people to return home.
Police officers found him and seized his passport.
Mr Hughes has been detained and kept in quarantine for over a month despite testing negative for Coronavirus.
The petition has urged the British government to do more to get him home.
The petition states that the British man was accused of spreading Coronavirus and violating visa regulations after being caught in the mosque with other people.
India’s lockdown has been strict, with police violently enforcing it to rulebreakers. Videos online have shown them beating people with sticks.
The petition said: “The Indian government gave the public four hours to get to where they needed to go before all public transport was seized.
“Where were these foreigners supposed to go?
“However at the same time many other people were in similar situations, stranded in yoga centres, Temples and other such places with nowhere else to go but to have to wait to be repatriated.
“These people were free to go back to their homes, back to their countries, back to their families and loved ones, no questions asked!
“Sohail was offered two flights home on separate occasions but his passport was seized by the local police and he was put into quarantine, not once but twice, and was kept in quarantine for 35 days even though he tested negative.
“He had a court hearing last Thursday (May 14) which was dismissed and his bail was rejected and he has now been kept in a detention centre until another court accepts the case.
“Why? All because he is Muslim? It feels like a direct attack on his faith!
“He is British! He pays his taxes! He needs the people in power to help!”
“The British Government have to step up and do something about it. He is a British Citizen stranded and treated unfairly abroad.
“We need the British Government to put pressure on the Indian government to release Sohail and others in his situation.”
Tasneem Patel commented: “This is my husband .. he has a 3-year-old son who needs him home. He has done nothing wrong!!”
An FCO spokesperson said: “We are supporting a British man who has been detained in India and are in contact with the prison officials and local authorities.”
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