Over 200 Nizamuddin congregation attendees from Himachal traced, quarantined

A total of 204 people from Himachal Pradesh, who attended the religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin last month, have been traced and quarantined in the state, a police spokesperson said on Friday.

They were identified and quarantined in seven police districts, SP law and order Khushal Sharma said. The highest number of people were quarantined in Baddi (73), followed by Una (39), Sirmaur (35), Shimla (23), Chamba (20), Kangra (10) and Mandi (4), he added.

The Nizamuddin Markaz is being seen as hotspot of coronavirus in the country as thousands of people including hundreds of foreigners, many of whom were suspected to be COVID-19 positive, took part in the congregation organised by Tablighi Jamaat.

"The 204 people who returned to the state after attending the gathering in Nizamuddin have been traced and quarantined," Sharma said. Meanwhile, three Himachal Pradesh residents who had participated in the Nizamuddin event had tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.

They were staying in Una but are natives of Mandi district. They have been admitted to Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMS) in Kangra district, officials said. Till Thursday, a total of 190 Markaz attendees were traced and quarantined in the state, Sharma said.

Besides, 17 people from the hill state have been quarantined in Delhi. According to some reports, the Union home ministry has sent a list of more than 700 people from Himachal Pradesh who attended the congregation in the national capital.

The list has reportedly been prepared after tracking the mobile phone location data of those who were present at the Markaz. However, despite repeated queries by the media, no one from the state police confirmed or denied the reports. 

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