UP Tracks Down, Quarantines 569 Jamaat Members, Several Booked for Negligence

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government tracked down 569 members of the Tabligh-e-Jamaat from various districts in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. All of them have been quarantined to prevent any further contraction of the coronavirus, while efforts are on to search and isolate the 218 foreign nationals who allegedly participated in the Nizamuddin Markaz event.

“Around 569 people attended the event at the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi last month and they have been quarantined now after medical checkup. The police have been informed about the 218 foreign nationals and an SOP has been sent that includes medical check up of foreigners and a quarantine period of 14 days,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of UP Government, Awanish Awasthi.

Meanwhile, the state government has lodged FIRs against several people across various cities, including Lucknow, Bahraich, Prayagraj, Bhadohi and Bijnore. However, action will be taken against them once the quarantine period is over,” Awasthi added.

“More than 95% of the Jamaat members from UP were tracked down, but not all of them had attended the event held in Delhi last month. But all the Jamaat members were quarantined as a precaution as many of those attended the event had moved to the state,” he said.

Besides, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the DGP to ensure that tracking and quarantine of the Jamaat members are on priority. Various district magistrates and local police chiefs have also been asked to personally monitor the process in their respective districts.

All madarsas and mosques are currently under the scanner of the government for possible contacts of COVID-19.

Foreigners tracked down in UP are from countries like Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, Sudan, Thailand, Djibouti, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh etc. and have been residing in mosques and madarsas across various districts, said sources.

“The MHA has ordered the state government to track down and quarantine all the 218 foreign nationals. These foreign nationals living in the state have been asked to voluntarily inform authorities about their whereabouts and if they fail to do so then strict action might be taken against them,” Awasthi added.