Coronavirus: Telangana Police Arrest 64 More Foreign Tablighi Jamaat Members

Telangana police have arrested 64 Tablighi Jamaat members from various foreign countries who were staying at two localities in the State after attending the Aalami Markaz Nizamuddin congregations in Delhi last month.

The Hans India reported that these Tablighi Jamaat members were from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sudan, Iran, Algeria and Kyrgyzstan. They were staying at Mallepally and Chaderghat.

Cases under the Epidemic Diseases Act, Foreigners Act and Disaster Management Act have been filed against the 64 foreigners. This is in view of the Nizamuddin congregations becoming the main vector for the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country.

The Tablighi Jamaat members had come to Delhi to take part in the Aalami Markaz Nizamuddin congregations held last month.

Earlier this week, the Telangana police filed cases against six Malaysian and 10 Indonesian Tablighi Jamaat preachers on the same charges.

Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi are the worst-hit States from the Nizamuddin events becoming a hotspot for Covid-19. The Tabligh Jamaat events held last month have the infection source for nearly 30 per cent of Coronavirus positive cases in India.

All these Tablighi Jamaat preachers have violated the visa regulations by coming on a tourist visa and attending religious meetings at the Aalami Markaz Nizamuddin meetings.

So far, 404 persons have tested positive for Coronavirus in Telangana with 11 of them succumbing to the pandemic virus. All the 11 have a history of having attended the Nizamuddin congregation.

About 1,100 from Telangana had attended the Markaz events that took place last month. At least 210 of those who took part in the congregations have tested positive, while another 93 of their contacts have also been infected with Covid-19.