Recent COVID-19 cases in U'khand from Tablighi Jamaat

A day after three more people tested positive for coronavirus in Uttarakhand, police on Friday said they were members of Tablighi Jamaat who were caught while trying to secretely enter into Rudrapur from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur, where they had gone to attend an event.

If they had not been caught in time, there was a serious threat of the contagion spreading quickly in the state, DG Law and Order Ashok Kumar said.

He also announced a reward of Rs 20,000for each of the 11 policemen who caught them.

The three were nabbed from Rudrapur railway station on Thursday with the helpof drone cameras maintaining constant vigil throughout the state to see if lockdown rules are being strictly adhered to, he said.

They were examined immediately and isolated after they tested positive for COVID-19, Kumar said.

The policemen who caught them have also been quarantined as a precautionary measure, he said.

With this, the total number of positive cases in Uttarakhand has increased to 10. Two coronavirus patients have been cured and discharged from hospital.

DGP Anil Raturi said Uttarakhand's borders with neighbouring states have been sealed and patrolling stepped up especially in the border areas of Pithoragarh district on the India-Nepal border.