Investigation showed the migrants were on their way to Saharanpur, cops said (Representational)
Eleven migrant labourers were caught while trying to escape to Saharanpur through forests and a case was registered against a WhatsApp group admin for circulating a rumour that the labourers were members of a Jamaat, police said on Friday.
The migrant labourers were caught when they reached Syalna village on their way and the villagers informed the police that some "dubious" persons had entered the village on foot, Badkot police station SHO DS Kohli said.
Police rushed to the spot with a medical team and brought the labourers to Badkot where they were medically examined to ascertain if they had symptoms of a coronavirus infection, Mr Kohli said.
Preliminary investigations revealed they were trying to reach Saharanpur through the Ganga ghati and Yamuna ghati forests in Uttarkashi district, the official said.
Meanwhile, someone spread a rumour on WhatsApp saying they were jamaatis, Mr Kohli said.
A case has been registered against the admin of the WhatsApp group under the Disaster Management Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, he said.