Delhi Police releases video, warning to vacate Nizamuddin Markaz on 23 March

April 1:  The Delhi Police on Tuesday evening released a video of its warning to senior members of Markaz, Nizamuddin to vacate Markaz & follow lockdown guidelines, on 23 March 2020. Thousands gathered at “Markaz Nizamuddin”, the Delhi headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat group, which has now been regarded as the “hot-bed of coronavirus”.

In the video the police officer can be heard saying that despite repetitive directives and warnings 1,500 to 2,000 people kept gathering at Markaz. The irritated officer then said that clear cut instructions have been given to prevent a gathering of over five people to ensure their own safety. After serving a notice to one of the individuals present there the police officer made it clear that if the instructions are not followed he will be forced to take strict legal action.

The home ministry has instructed states to track down Tablighi members who travelled to various parts of the country after the two-day gathering on March 8-10. More than a hundred people have tested positive for coronavirus and a nationwide manhunt is on for suspected cases after a large religious gathering at Delhi’s Nizamuddin that has emerged as a virus hotspot. Violating national lockdown, hundreds of people had been staying at the facility for weeks.

#WATCH Delhi Police release a video of its warning to senior members of Markaz, Nizamuddin to vacate Markaz & follow lockdown guidelines, on 23rd March 2020. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/2evZR6OcmB

— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2020

Ignoring all social distancing rules to avoid the deadly coronavirus, hundreds had been staying in the 100-year-old mosque complex, which has a six-floor dormitory, since March 8. On March 21, there were 1,746 in the centre and 216 were foreigners, according to the home ministry. The gathering, which featured sermons, was attended by Tablighi members from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and Saudi Arabia. Members had also come from Afghanistan, Algeria, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England, Fiji, France and Kuwait.

The Tablighi Jamaat is an Islamic missionary movement set up in 1926, with members across the world. Similar events held in Malaysia and Pakistan in February-March have been linked to virus cases.