UP traces, isolates 569 Tablighi jamaat meet participants from state: Officials

The Uttar Pradesh government has traced and quarantined 569 state residents, who had attended a religious congregation at Nazamuddin in New Delhi last month along with over 250 foreigners, many of them suspected coronavirus carriers.

Besides the 569 state residents, 218 foreign nationals, who came to the state at different point of times on tourist visa, too have been traced and quarantined with their passports seized, said Additional Chief Secretary Home Awanish Awasthi on Wednesday.

All the quarantined foreigners cannot be said to be linked to the Tablighi Jamaat meet in New Delhi, said Awasthi, adding some of them, however, did participate in the Islamic discourse at Nizamuddin markaj.

Cases are also being filed against those who facilitated the stay of the foreigners, he said.

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.

The action followed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's direction to officials to identify participants of the Tablighi Jamaat meet "on a war footing" and also initiate action against those who hid information about it.

A government spokesperson said Chief Minister Adityanath has taken a firm stand on the issue and held meeting with senior police and intelligence officials late in the night after which raids were carried out in different districts resulting in the identification of 569 people who could be coronavirus carriers