SHILLONG: The state government has identified seven persons from the state who visited Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz in New Delhi — the hotspot of COVID-19 in the country.
The Tabligh-e-Jamaat congregation, which was held between March 13 and March 15, was attended by about 2,000 delegates from across the country and abroad.
Assistant Inspector General of Police (A) GK Iangrai, however, said that the seven members of Shillong Markaz (centre) have not returned.
Out of them, five are in Delhi and two are in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
“Officials of Meghalaya Police had also contacted these seven members of Shillong Markaz and they confirmed that they have not returned to Meghalaya,” he said.
It was also informed that the presence of these members in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh has been conveyed to the police officials of the two states.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that they have voluntarily quarantined themselves and they are not coming to Shillong for now. “In fact, it is the right thing, and people should not fear”, he said.
Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek has also appealed to the residents of the state who visited Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz to voluntarily come forward and inform the authorities.
Meanwhile, the Shillong Markaz of Tablighi-e-Jamaat also confirmed that seven persons from the state had gone to Hazarat Nizamuddin Markaz for the congregation.
Anwar Ali, who looks after the affairs of Tabligh-e- Jamaat, informed that of the seven, five are from Shillong while two are from East Jaintia Hills.
He further said that they had left Shillong on February 2 before the lockdown.
Informing that the five are under quarantine in Nizamuddin, Ali said that they have all tested negative for COVID-19.
He also said local authorities in Shillong have been informed about the seven persons.
Information goes viral
Earlier in the day the news about the presence of seven persons from the state at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz went viral on the social media causing a flutter.
A letter written by the Shillong Markaz and addressed to the Lumdiengjri police station containing the details, including the names of the seven persons and their phone numbers, was uploaded on the social media even before it was received by the police station. The Shillong Markaz falls under the jurisdiction of Lumdiengjri police station.
Police clarified that the letter was not leaked from the police station, but it was someone from outside who posted it on the social media.
Police said that the letter on the social media neither had the seal nor the ‘receipt acknowledgment’ of the Lumdiengjri police station indicating that it was done by someone from outside.
It may be mentioned that a similar instance had occurred in Shillong recently when details, including the name of a person who was suspected of having COVID-19, were leaked from NEIGRIHMS.
However, later it was confirmed that the patient had tested negative for COVID-19.
