Six Foreigners Take Refuge In A Cave In Rishikesh After Running Out Of Money Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

by Gizel Menezes
Six Foreigners Take Refuge In A Cave In Rishikesh After Running Out Of Money Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

Stranded in a foreign country, with no money, during a nationwide lockdown can be daunting. So in what seemed like a way to protect their best interests, six foreigners decided to take shelter in a cave in the pilgrim town of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand after they ran out of money.

Image Courtesy: Malayala Manorama

Six Foreigners Have Been Living In A Cave Rishikesh Since March 24

A group of six foreigners, including two women, were found living in a cave near the Ganga in the Lakshman Jhula area in Uttarakhand, according to police officials. All the six had come to Rishikesh about two months ago and were staying at a hotel in Muni Ki Reti area. However, just before the first phase of the lockdown began, they shifted to the cave due to lack of money.

The four men and two women, from France, the United States, Ukraine, Turkey and Nepal, had been living in the cave near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand state since March 24, police inspector Rajendra Singh Kathait told AFP.

Kataith also said the foreigners had been cooking in the cave using firewood and taking water from the Ganga for their essential needs.

The group has now been shifted to Swarg Ashram, where they will be quarantined for 14 days, although none of them seem to show any coronavirus symptoms.

Also Read: Foreigners Made To Write ‘Sorry’ 500 times By Police For Violating Lockdown In Rishikesh

Image Courtesy: India Today (for representation only)

At Present, 778 foreigners Have Been Living In Pauri Garhwal District

According to the Pauri Garhwal district administration, at present, there are 778 foreigners in the district with most of them in the Lakshman Jhula area.

As per the district magistrate of Pauri Garhwal, most of the foreigners had come to the district much before the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown. However, as a precautionary measure, they are being screened by doctors from time to time and are taken care of with all the required facilities.

Uttarkhand has reported 42 cases of coronavirus so far out of which nine have recovered.

Also Read: For The First Time In 250 Years, Mumbai’s Iconic Mohammed Ali Road Street Food Market Will Be Shut Due To COVID-19

First Published: April 21, 2020 7:16 PM