NSA chief Ajit Doval visited Nizamuddin Markaz to assess situation

New Delhi: Even as the Delhi Police was evacuating hundreds of people from Tablighi group’s international headquarters Nizamuddin Markaz, NSA chief Ajit Doval visited the southwest Delhi area to take stock of the situation.

According to Delhi Police sources, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived around 2 am on March 28 and 29 night at the Markaz and interacted with police officials involved in the evacuation. The source said that Doval convinved Tablighi group leader Maulana Saad to get all stuck persons tested for Coronavirus infection and quarantine.

According to the sources, the NSA chief knew about the situation building up since the security agencies has tracked down nine Corona positive Indonesians in Telengana’s Karimnagar with travel history to the Markaz on March 18.

Doval’s visit to Nizamuddin area came after the intervention of Home Minister Amit Shah, the sources added. The sources claimed that Doval spoke to Markaz officials and appealed them to held the administration tackle the spread of novel Coronavirus. The NSA also spoke to Police Commissioner S.N Shrivastava and took updates on the situation.

The Tablighi Jammat found itself in the eye of a storm for holding a religious programme during prohibitory orders issues amid the Coronavirus scare in the country. The Markaz has since been evacuated by authorities and evacuees sent into quarantine as 24 of them have tested positive for Coronavirus till late Tuesday night. The Delhi Police registered a case against Maulana Saad, who led the Tablighi Jammat congregation in Delhi and others on charges of violating government orders and exposing many persons to the threat of Coronavirus. Maulana Saad and other members of the Tablighi Jammat have been booked under Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The government has directed for restrictions on social, political and religious gatherings and safety measures, including social distancing, for prevention and treatment of Corona cases.

Delhi Police Crime Branch filed the FIR under Section 3 (penalty for offence) of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 and Sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease), 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule) and 120b (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.

Maulana Saad, Dr Zeeshan, Mufti Shehzad, M Saifi, Younus and Mohd Salman have been named in the FIR. Police has since traced Maulana Saad’s house in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district.

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