569 participants of religious discourse in Nizamuddin found in UP state: Official

The Uttar Pradesh government has identified in the state as many as 569 participants to an Islamic religious congregation at Nazamuddin in New Delhi early this month along with several suspected corona-positive foreigners, and has isolated or quarantined them.

Additional Chief Secretary Home Awanish Awasthi on Wednesday said besides these 569 people, 218 foreign nationals, who had come to Uttar Pradesh at different stages on tourist visa, too have been identified but they cannot be said to be linked to the Tablighi Jamaat.

Various district magistrates and police chiefs of the districts have been directed to ensure proper quarantine of these persons along with adherence of the proper medical protocol, said Awasthi.

On the foreign nationals, Awasthi said those coming on tourist visas cannot take part in religious discourses or missionary activities.

Action will be taken against them too if they are found having participated in the religious discourse at Nizamuddin markaj, but the first priority of the administration is to ensure their quarantine, he said.

He also appealed to all people to help identify all suspects so that the spread of the disease could be effectively checked.

Cutting short his visit to the districts with maximum number of COVID-19 patients, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, meanwhile, on Tuesday returned to the state capital to hold an urgent meeting with senior officials, following reports that people from the state attended the religious event in Nizamuddin which has emerged as one of the biggest hotspots of the coronavirus infection.