Coronavirus update: 16 Tablighi Jamaat members in Chhattisgarh booked for hiding travel details

A 16-year-old boy, who tested positive for Covid-19 on April 4 and admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Raipur, was among those booked on Monday.

Published on: Apr 7, 2020, 09:54:04 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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Chhattisgarh police on Monday booked 16 people, including seven minors, associated with the Tablighi Jamaat in Korba district for hiding their travel details.

The religious gatherings at the Tablighi Jamaat’s six-storey headquarters in Nizamuddin Basti in mid-March have emerged as the largest hot spot of coronavirus disease in the country. (Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)

Police said more people, who helped these people in Korba, will be also booked under relevant sections in the next few days.

A 16-year-old boy, who tested positive for Covid-19 on April 4 and admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Raipur, was among those booked on Monday.

“A 68-year-old person among them attended the congregation at the Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi last month but had not disclosed his visit. He first stayed for a few days in Kamti area of Nagpur and came to Korba along 15 others,” Dipanshu Kabra, said inspector general of police (Bilaspur Zone), said while speaking to HT.

The religious gatherings at the Tablighi Jamaat’s six-storey headquarters in Nizamuddin Basti in mid-March have emerged as the largest hot spot of coronavirus disease in the country.

The Jamaat headquarters, also known as Markaz, has been linked to over 1445 infections so far, or about 35% of the total cases in India across 17 states and Union territories, according to the Union health ministry.

Also read: Resume interstate traffic after ‘comprehensive broad discussion, Bhupesh Baghel to PM

Kabra said the Tablighi Jamaat people misled the police and claimed that they reached Korba on March 5 and no one attended the congregation at Nizamuddin.

“We quizzed all of them on March 22 and even put them in isolation for precautionary measures but all of them lied about their visit to Nizamuddin. Later, when police investigated, we found that they reached Korba on March 14 and one of them even visited Nizamuddin,” Kabra said.

He added that the 16-year-old who is admitted in AIIMS Raipur got infected during this process.

Also read: Chhattisgarh police curtail counter-Maoist ops

“Some people in the district helped these people in hiding details they will also be booked in the next couple of days,” said Kabra.

Police said all the 16, including their head Mohammad Anwar Kamaal, were booked under sections 188 (defying lawful order of a public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.

There are 10 Covid-19 patients in Chhattisgarh and out of which nine have been discharged.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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