UP police declares reward for tracing Tablighi Jamaat members

The Uttar Pradesh police has declared rewards for those helping in tracing the Tablighi Jamaat members who are yet to report to the authorities here, police said on Saturday.

The Jamaat members had attended a religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin last month against the social distancing protocol imposed by the government to combat coronavirus.

The police has so far quarantined 33 Jamaat members who were staying in various mosques, madrassas and homes here.

"The Jamaat members are still hiding. We have made an appeal to them that if they come up and appear before the authorities, no action will be initiated against them, Superintendent of Police Triveni Singh said.

But, if the information about them comes to us through another source, strict action will be initiated against them, the official said.

Singh said those informing the police about the Tablighi Jamaat members will be given a cash reward of Rs 5,000, adding their identity will be kept a secret.

Azamgarh has so far recorded four coronavirus cases, with all of these linked to the Tablighi Jamaat members.

District Magistrate N P Singh said Mubarakpur region here has been declared a hotspot, and it has been sealed.

"Four COVID-19 patients have been found here though the second test of the three patients has come negative. The sanitisation of Mubarakpur is going on, he said.