Uttar Pradesh police has announced a prize money of Rd. 5000 to those who would help to find the missing Tablighi Jamaat members. A religious gathering was organised in Delhi’s Nizamuddin last month despite Government’s implementation of nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Only 33 Jamaat members have been traced till now and sent to quarantine in UP’s Azamgarh.
Triveni Singh, Superintendent of Police, Azamgarh said that they have already requested the Jamaat members to inform the authorities by themselves and no action will be taken against them. But they will take stringent measures only if informed by any other source.
Singh assured a cash reward of Rs. 5000 who would let the police know about the hiding Tablighi Jamaat members, further stating that their identity won’t be disclosed in the public. Presently there are four active coronavirus cases from Azamgarh, all associated with the Nizamuddin congregation.
Hundreds of preachers visit the Tablighi Jamaat, headquarters of Muslim missionary movement, located in the capital city’s crowded Nizamuddin area, everyday. The religious assembly was arranged from March 13-15 with more than 8000 worshippers, including foreigners. The administration was bound to shut it’s doors on March 22, with almost 2000 people stuck inside, giving a significant rise to the COVID-19 cases in the country. The Central Government is also held responsible for their slow action towards this event and letting foreigners, especially from already marked COVID-19 hotspots like Indonesia and Malaysia, into India. 960 of these outsiders are also blacklisted for flouting the conventions of visa.
District Magistrate of Mubarakpur, N.P.Singh announced the region has been demarcated as a hotspot and hence have been shut off completely. Out of the four corona virus positive cases, three patients underwent a negative report in their second test, Singh reported.
