Nizamuddin Markaz: State-wise break up of attendees of Tablighi Jamaat congregation

April 2: More than hundreds of 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 with links to several COVID-19 deaths. Nearly 2,100 people have been evacuated from “Markaz Nizamuddin”, the Delhi headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat group, since Sunday.

The Markaz, also known as Banglewali Masjid, is a six-storey building complex that can house up to 2,000 people. It shares its wall with the Nizamuddin police station and is adjacent to the famous shrine of Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya. Starting March 13 there was a meeting held here with people from several Indian states and abroad. States have now been left with the daunted task of tracing those who participated in the event and returned, many suspected of carrying the deadly corona infection.

Tamil Nadu – 1,500: On Tuesday around 1,500 persons from Tamil Nadu had gone to Delhi to attend a meet at Tablighi Jamaat’s international headquarters Nizamuddin Markaz in the national capital in March. Officials added that five attendees have tested positive so far.

Telangana – 1,000: The Telangana administration is estimating that more than 1,000 people from the state might have attended the Delhi event last month. A government release on Monday had said that the authorities are tracing people who came in contact with the attendees following the death of 7 coronavirus patients, who participated in the congregation held between March 13 and 15.

Andhra Pradesh – 711: A health department official from Andhra Pradesh had on Tuesday said that 711 people hailing from the state had gone to attend the religious gathering in New Delhi.

Assam – 456: Assam Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday told media that the state government is aware of 456 people from the state, who were either in or around Nizamuddin Markaz during the congregation. However, 117 persons were still untraceable. A total of 16 positive cases were reported in Assam and all of them had gone to Naizamuddin Markaz.

Karnataka – 342: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday told the media: “200 people including four from Bengaluru and five from Belgaum, who participated in Tablighi Jamaat (in Delhi’s Nizamuddin), have been quarantined. Total 342 people from Karnataka had attended the event.”

Kerala – 300: Around 300 people from Kerala have been identified as those who visited the Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin in Delhi last month. As per reports, of the 300, only 80 are believed to have returned to Kerala.

Maharashtra – 157: As per reports, around 157 from Maharashtra attended the Islamic congregation at Nizamuddin. Out of 157, 130 were from Pune.

Uttar Pradesh – 157: The Uttar Pradesh government had on Tuesday said that 157 people from the state attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. As per Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi, “95 per cent” of the attendees have been traced and are being tested for COVID-19.

Haryana – 125: Around 125 people (including over 30 from Gurugram) belonging to Haryana were among thousands of people who attended the religious congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin last month.

Madhya Pradesh – 107: “We have identified all the 107 people from Madhya Pradesh who attended the Tabligh-e-Jamaat’s event in Delhi. They have been put under quarantine and are being examined thoroughly…We are keeping a close watch on them. There is no reason to worry or panic,” said Bhopal Collector Tarun Kumar Pithode.

Chhattisgarh – 101: As many as 101 people from Chhattisgarh, who attended the Nizamuddin meet, have been identified so far and put under quarantine. “Of them, 32 have been placed under quarantine, while 69 are in isolation in different places,” said an official.

Gujarat – 93: As per officials, 76 people from Surat had attended the Delhi meet. Gujarat DGP Shivanand Jha, meanwhile, said an initial probe so far had revealed that some persons from Bhavnagar were also a part of the gathering.

Jammu and Kashmir – 88: Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, PK Pole, told media that at present, 87 people from Kashmir, who were in Nizamuddin, have been put in quarantine in Delhi itself. On March 24, the 65-year-old, who had died in Kashmir, was a part of the congregation at Nizamuddin. He had returned to Kashmir on March 16.

Bihar – 86: Bihar Director General of Police Gupteshwar Pandey on Wednesday told reporters: “86 residents of Bihar and 57 foreigners, who had attended Markaz in Delhi, are being traced and will be monitored. Forty-eight people have been quarantined already. Some of 86 Bihar residents are not in the state but other parts of the country and have been quarantined in other states.

West Bengal – 73: West Bengal Home Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay tweeted on Tuesday, “All those from West Bengal who have participated in this event (Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi) are being identified and will be immediately tested for COVID and put under mandatory 14 days quarantine.”

Jharkhand – 46: Jharkhand reported its first confirmed coronavirus positive case on Tuesday. As per officials, the 22-year-old woman had boarded a Ranchi-bound train after attending the event at Markaz in Nizamuddin. “A Malaysian woman, who is among the 24 persons found staying in a mosque in Ranchi, has been found positive. She is absolutely normal and asymptomatic,” said Principal Secretary (Health) Nitin Madan Kulkarni. As per jagran.com, 46 people from Jharkhand had attended the congregation in Delhi.

Uttarakhand – 26: As per DG (Law and Order) Ashok Kumar, “The gathering gathered at Nizamuddin in Delhi also included 26 people from Uttarakhand, mostly people from the districts of Haridwar and Dehradun. The police have verified them and they are still in Delhi. They will return back after completing the quarantine period.”

Rajasthan – 22: Officials on Tuesday said that 22 people, who had attended the religious congregation, have been quarantined in Rajasthan.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands – 21: As per a report, 21 people from Andaman and Nicobar Islands attended the Nizamuddin meet. On Tuesday, Deputy Director Health and Nodal Officer in Andaman and Nicobar, COVID-19, Abhijit Roy, had said that nine out of the 10 people, who tested positive for coronavirus in the Islands, had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event.

Himachal Pradesh – 17: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that 17 people from the state attended the Delhi congregation. Saying they have no symptoms of COVID-19 so far, Thakur added they were under 14-day quarantine in Delhi.

Odisha – 15: While a news report suggested that 15 people from Odisha attended the Delhi event, the state government has so far quarantined four Nizamuddin returnees.

Manipur – 14: The Manipur government had on Tuesday stated that it has found out 14 people who attended the religious congregation in Delhi. On Thursday morning one of the attendees of Nizamuddin was tested positive in the state.

Punjab – 9: Punjab has identified nine people (four from Ludhiana, two from Sangrur and one each from Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Barnala) who attended the meet in Delhi. All of them are currently in the national capital.

Puducherry – 9: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said on Thursday that his administration had identified nine persons from the Union Territory who had attended the religious gathering in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area. Their samples have been taken and sent for tests. The Chief Minister appealed to all other people who had attended the meeting to come forward and identify themselves.

Meghalaya – 7: The Shillong Markaz informed the state police on Tuesday that seven persons from Meghalaya attended the religious congregation in Delhi.

Arunachal Pradesh – 1: A 31-year-old man, who attended a congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin West, tested positive for COVID-19 in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday, making it the first case of coronavirus in Arunachal Pradesh, health officials said. The man attended the congregation in Nizamuddin on March 13.

The list seems to be a never ending one. What came out to be of more risk is that many who attended the Markaz have been in hiding. What appears now is that Nizamuddin Markaz has played havoc with the nation by spreading the deadly coronavirus throughout the length and breadth of India. 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 8 March 8.

(With inputs from timesnownews.com)