Criminal cases will be filed against all those participants of Tablighi Jamaat: Himanta

Eluding NIZAMUDDIN returnees

* Various city mosques extend support

* 25 COVID cases linked to Delhi religious meet

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government will file criminal cases against all those participants of Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Mazkaz in West Delhi who have not yet approached the State Health authorities to know their COVID-19 status.

Altogether 25 of the total 26 COVID-19 positive cases in Assam have turned out to be of those associated with the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz.

“Despite repeated requests and appeals, many of the participants of the Nizamuddin event have not come out openly before the authorities. Some of them are seen hiding and the families of these participants are also not cooperating. This is very unfortunate. So, we have decided to wait till Sunday evening to facilitate all those participants to come out and approach the Health department or district administration to test their COVID-19 status. We will file criminal cases against all the participants who do not follow our deadline,” Sarma told reporters here on Sunday afternoon.

He added that the police will start filing criminal cases from Monday.

Sarma further stated that the family members and some villages are also not cooperating with the police and administration to trace the missing Nizamuddin participants. He said that criminal cases will also be filed against such non-cooperation.

“Eventually, we will trace all the participants. But we have set the deadline to prevent the missing Nizamuddin Markaz participants from infecting more and more people,” the Minister said.

“Every day, the list of people who had attended the Markaz event is growing. We are being informed by different sources and the reports are turning out to be true. This is the last time I am pleading before all those who had visited Nizamuddin to reveal themselves; else the government will have to be tough,” Sarma warned.

On other hand, the management committees of Lakhtokia Masjid No 1, Lakhtokia Masjid No 2, Rajdhani Masjid, Kamarpatty Masjid, Machkhowa Masjid and Fancy Bazar Masjid on Sunday organized a joint press conference in the city, and made a fervent appeal to all participants of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Mazkaz to approach the Health department or district administration to test their COVID-19 status. The committees assured the Health department to extend full support in its fight against coronavirus in the State.

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