Gujarat govt statement on Tablighi Jamaat Markaz in Delhi and COVID-19 suspects in Gujarat

Full text of the Statement

1. Tablighi Jamaat workers, both foreigners as well Indians, indulge in Tablighi activities (Chilla) across the country throughout the year. Various nationals, particularly from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan come for Tablighi activities. All such foreign nationals normally report their arrival at Tablighi Markaz (center) at Banglewali Mosque in Hazrat Nizamuddin in New Delhi. From here, they are detailed for Chilla activities to different parts of the country.

2. As on March 21, there were about 1746 persons staying in Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz. Of these, 216 were foreigners and 1530 were Indians. Additionally, about 824 foreigners were involved in Chilla activities in various parts of the country. On March 28, Central Agencies advised all states to collect the names of Indian Tablighi Jamaat workers from the local coordinators, locate them on the ground, get them medically screened and to quarantine them. Gujarat Police is in process of identifying all such persons.

Gujarat Scenario:

3. The inquiry conducted by Gujarat Police pointed to the presence of 34 Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) workers in Ahmedabad, 12 Tablighi Jamaat workers from Mehsana, 20 Tablighi Jamaat workers from Bhavnagar, 4 Tablighi Jamaat workers from Botad and 2 Tablighi Jamaat worker from Navsari, who have attended the Markaz (Total-72). It was ascertained that these Tablighi Jamaat workers had stayed in the Nizamuddin Markaz during the general period of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. The DG&IGP Gujarat had directed all field units to identify the members of the Tablighi Jamaats, prepare detailed reports of these Jamaats, their travel routes, identify people who have come in contact with them and also with the help of district medial teams to conduct medial screening of these persons and to quarantine them.

4. On the basis of technical analysis suspected mobile numbers of Gujarat are also being analysed, which may be present in Nizamuddin Markaz from 14th of March to 22/23 March 2020. The investigation into these suspected mobile numbers by identifying the persons associated with the mobile numbers, the reason of their visit to Delhi, whether they were associated with Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin Markaz, their present location and medical condition, etc. was entrusted to all police units of the state. Verification of these numbers is being done by S.O.G. of the concerned districts. Health authorities are being informed in cases where visit to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz is confirmed.

5. BHAVNAGAR: The investigation into the list of 20 persons from Bhavnagar associated with Tablighi Jamaat has revealed that Haji Abdul Karim Sheikh aged 70 had gone to Delhi on 9th March via Ahmedabad and had visited Nizamuddin Markaz on the 10th of March, alongwith a group of fifteen others. Out of this group from Bhavnagar who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat gathering at Markaz, Abdul Karim Sheikh developed symptoms and expired on the 26thof March and subsequently tested COVID-19 positive. The other members of the group have been placed under quarantine at Bhavnagar and efforts are ongoing to identify their primary contacts after the return from Delhi. Four more members of Jammat (total 20) who had attended the Markaz were identified and quarantined.All the members of the Tablighi Jamaat who had gone to the Nizamuddin Markaz with the exception of the deceased has been medically examined and had been home quarantined. The persons who have come in contact with all the 20 persons are being identified and being quarantined by the local authorities. Till now, no other person has been found to be having symptoms of COVID-19 infection in this group or their contacts.

6. AHMEDABAD: It was ascertained that two groups of Tablighi Jamaat workers had reached Ahmedabad in the month of March. One group of 10 persons, all residents of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh had departed for Delhi on 06th March and after reaching Delhi on the 13th of March had stayed at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz till the 15th of March. The group had reached Ahmedabad on 16th March. They are staying in the Farukhi Masjid, Baluchavad since then. The second group of 19 Tablighi Jamaat workers including two members from Baluchavad, Dariyapur had left from Kadipur, Mou, UttarPradeh on 9th March and reached Nizamuddin Markaz on 10th March. They reached Ahmedabad on 12th March. They have been stationed at the Malik Ahmed Masjid, Topiwalani Pol, Dariyapur. All 27 persons are now placed at the Malik Ahmed Masjid, Topiwalani Pol, Dariyapur and the two local helpers associated with the Tablighi Jammat workers have also been located and placed on quarantine. Other than these two groups, five more persons are found to have visited Markaz in the relevant period. The detailed medical examination of the 34 persons is being conducted in coordination with the medical team of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.

7. The other persons (2 from Navsari, 4 from Botad, and 12 from Mehsana) are identified, quarantined and being tested for COVID-19. Further inquiry regarding visits from any other member of Tablighi Jamaat to the Markaz is being inquired, and necessary action will be taken.

DeshGujarat