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New Delhi/Bhopal/Jaipur/Puducherry: The Tabligh-e-Jamaat’s Markaz in Nizamuddin West in the Union Capital – a religious congregation of thousands, including hundreds of those who arrived from countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Myanmar – has endangered the life of people across India after those who had attended the Jamat fanned out to many different cities defying the quarantine and social distancing guidelines issued by the government in the wake of COVID 19.

After two dozen people tested positive for Coronavirus, Police have sealed Nizamuddin area where the Jamat was putting up and an FIR has been lodged against the cleric involved for violating government orders.

A total of 2361 people were removed from the Tabligh-e-Jamaat’s Markaz facility at Nizamuddin, 617 persons, who were showing symptoms like fever, cold and cough, have been admitted to hospital, their samples are being sent for test and the rest have been quarantined at separate centres. A list of all these persons has been handed over to the police and the Cyber Cell will be conducting investigation into their call details to find out who these people have met or were planning to meet in coming days and also where are those persons with whom they have already come in contact. The Delhi Government has made an appeal and asked all those who joined the Nizamuddin congregation to surrender themselves for medical check up.

Due to the blatant defiance of prohibitory orders and Government guidelines for social distancing, strict travel restrictions and the advisory for self-quarantine on all arrivals from foreign countries, the organisers of Tabligh-e-Jamaat’s Markaz in Nizamuddin have come under attack and there is also a demand for imposing a ban on it. Besides the demand to put a ban on the Tablaghi Jamaat, Government of India should also consider the option of cancelling the visas, blacklisting and denying in future tourist visas to people from countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal Myanmar, Thailand, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka who come only to join the Jamaat and then disperse to different parts of the country for religious activities like Chilla. According to an official source more than 2100 foreigners joined the Tablighi activities this year.

Of the 107 people who came to Madhya Pradesh from Nizamuddin, 31 have been traced to Aishbagh’s Rahmani Majid in Bhopal. Eleven of these came to the State capital from Myanmar via Nizamuddin. The Police have found that 8 persons belonging to the Jamat were lodged at Sikandarjahan mosque at Jehangirabad while 12 others were staying in another mosque not far away.

All of them have been examined. While the test reports are awaited, they have been quarantined in the same mosques where they were staying. The police was searching for them for the last four days. According to available information with the police about 50 of those who came from Nizamuddin were staying in Bhopal while many had dispersed to other cities.

It is a matter of serious concern as a large number of foreigners were among thousands of those who attended the Tabligh-e-Jamaat at Nizamuddin Markaz facility in March. Three people, who attended the Tablighi Jamat at Nizamuddin, tested positive for coronavirus in Delhi on Wednesday and many others have shown symptoms of COVID-19, according to a Union Home Ministry official.

Of the 21 people – 17 from Puducherry and four from Karaikal — who took part in the congregation at Nizamuddin nine have returned to Puducherry. Three of them have tested positive for COVID-19.

Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said Wednesday that about 300 people from Kerala had attended the Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin Markaz Masjid in New Delhi. Forty of them have been identified and quarantined.

Earlier on Tuesday, about 100 people gathered at a dargah in Sarwar town of Rajasthan’s Ajmer district. Police had to use mild force to disperse them.